Munsusa Temple – 문수사 (Seosan, Chungcheongnam-do)
Temple History
Munsusa Temple in Seosan, Chungcheongnam-do, which shouldn’t be confused with the dozens of other temples with the same name, is located in the northwestern foothills of Mt. Sangwangsan (309.5 m). Munsusa Temple is named after the Bodhisattva of Wisdom, Munsu-bosal. The exact date of the temple’s founding is unknown. However based upon the layout of the temple buildings, it’s presumed that the temple was first established during the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392). And to further reinforce this point, artifacts were discovered inside the seated gilt-bronze Amita-bul (The Buddha of the Western Paradise) statue inside the Geukrakbo-jeon Hall in 1973. A dated document inside this statue indicates that it was written in 1346. This indicates that the temple was obviously built prior to the statue’s creation.
However, and sometime during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), all of the buildings at Munsusa Temple were destroyed except for the Geukrakbo-jeon Hall. The temple was destroyed at this time by thieves. Slowly the temple was rebuilt; and in 1994, the monks’ dorms and Sanshin-gak Hall were built.
In addition to the aforementioned document, some 600 relics were discovered, as well, including raw silk, hemp cloth, rice, barley, and sutras. This collection, which is Korean Treasure #1572, is known as “Excavated Relics from the Gilt-bronze Seated Buddha of Munsusa Temple.” The sutras include the “Lotus Sutra,” old translations of the “Benevolent Kings Sutra,” and “Notes on the Tripitaka.” These 600 items, including the sutras, are now housed at the temple museum at neighbouring Sudeoksa Temple in Yesan, Chungcheongnam-do.
In addition to this Korean Treasure, Munsusa Temple is also home to the Geukrakbo-jeon Hall, which was named a Korean Treasure in April, 2024. Munsusa Temple is also home to two Chungcheongnam-do Tangible Cultural Property. They are the “Seosan Munsusa Temple Nahan Statues,” and the “Gilt-bronze Buddha Statue.” Unfortunately, the 69 cm tall seated gilt-bronze statue of Amita-bul (The Buddha of the Western Paradise) was stolen in 1993. And its whereabouts is still unknown.
Temple Layout
From the temple parking lot, you’ll make your way up a new set of stone stairs. Entering the main temple courtyard, you’ll find a beautiful, pink crepe myrtle tree in the centre of the grounds. Behind this beautiful tree is the Geukrakbo-jeon Hall. It’s unknown as to when the Geukrakbo-jeon Hall was first built. The current building is presumed to date back to the 1630s, and it’s undergone subsequent repairs. The exterior walls to the main hall are adorned in simple dancheong colours. It has an intricate gable roof that supports the intricate brackets atop the pillars. Stepping inside the main hall, you’ll find a triad of statues underneath a wide datjib (canopy) centred by Amita-bul (The Buddha of the Western Paradise). On the underside of the canopy, you’ll find a decorative dragon painted directly onto the canopy. Other murals you’ll find inside the main hall are murals dedicated to Jijang-bosal (The Bodhisattva of the Afterlife), Chilseong (The Seven Stars), and red Shinjung Taenghwa (Guardian Mural). Also of note is the decorative painting that adorns the interior walls of the Geukrakbo-jeon Hall that date back to the 17th century.
To the left of the main hall, you’ll find the monks’ dorms and administrative office. To the right of the Geukrakbo-jeon Hall, on the other hand, is the Sanshin-gak Hall. The exterior walls are adorned with various floral patterns and trees like cherry blossoms. Stepping inside the shaman shrine hall, you’ll find a large, wooden relief of Sanshin (The Mountain Spirit). The tiger in the relief menacingly looks at any and all visitors that enter the Sanshin-gak Hall. And hanging on the far right wall is a painting of Sanshin. This appears to be the original painting that took up residence inside the shaman shrine hall until the newly created Sanshin relief was placed inside the Sanshin-gak Hall.
And to the right of the Sanshin-gak Hall, you’ll find the Nahan-jeon Hall. The exterior is adorned in intricated dancheong colours, as well as images of the various Nahan (The Historical Disciples of the Buddha). Stepping inside the Nahan-jeon Hall, you’ll find a solitary, golden statue dedicated to Seokgamoni-bul (The Historical Buddha) on the main altar. This central image is joined on either side by sixteen statues of the Nahan. And out in front of both the Sanshin-gak Hall and the Nahan-jeon Hall, you’ll find a damaged three-story pagoda.
How To Get There
The easiest way to get to Munsusa Temple from the Seosan Bus Terminal is to take a taxi. The taxi ride will take about 20 minutes over 19 km, and it’ll cost around 30,000 won (one way). However, if this is outside your budget, you can also take public transportation. From the Seosan Bus Terminal, you can take Bus #455 for 41 stops and get off at the “Taebong-ri – 태봉리 하차” bus stop. From where the bus drops you off, you’ll need to head east for 1.9 km, or 30 minutes, until you get to Munsusa Temple.
Overall Rating: 6.5/10
There are a few highlights at Munsusa Temple in Seosan, Chungcheongnam-do that include the Geurakbo-jeon Hall. Both its interior and exterior are stunning including the main altar canopy, the interior paint, and the eaves of the 17th century structure. In addition to the main hall, you can also enjoy the beautiful, pink crepe myrtle tree in the middle of the temple courtyard during the summer months, as well as the large Sanshin (Mountain Spirit) relief inside the Sanshin-gak Hall.