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Colonial Korea – Beopjusa Temple
Temple History Beopjusa Temple is situated in Songnisan National Park to the north-east of Boeun-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do. Beopjusa Temple means, “Dharma Residence Temple” in English. According to the Dongguk-yeoji-seungnam, or the “Survey of the Geography of Korea” in English, Beopjusa Temple was first founded in 553 A.D. by the monk Uisin. After traveling to India to learn more about Buddhism, Uisan returned to the Korean Peninsula with Indian Buddhist scriptures. Carrying these scriptures on a white donkey, he housed these texts at the temple he was to build: Beopjusa Temple. According to historical documents, the famed monk Jinpyo (8th century) returned to the Mt. Songnisan area and marked a location where it was…
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Jeongchwiam Hermitage – 정취암 (Sancheong, Gyeongsangnam-do)
Hermitage History Jeongchwiam Hermitage is located in eastern Sancheong, Gyeongsangnam-do in the foothills of Mt. Daeseongsan. Additionally, the hermitage is located within the northern boundaries of Jirisan National Park. The hermitage was first founded in 686 A.D. by Uisang-daesa (625-702 A.D.). According to a hermitage legend, during the 6th year of King Sinmun of Silla’s reign, which lasted from 681 to 692 A.D., Amita-bul (The Buddha of the Western Paradise) rose from the East Sea and shone two streams of light onto the Korean Peninsula. One of these beams of light shone on Mt. Geumgangsan (present-day North Korea) and the other beam of light shone on Mt. Daeseongsan. According to…
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Colonial Korea – Archaeology in Korea
Introduction Before Japan even occupied the Korean Peninsula, they took preliminary steps towards the colonization of Korea. One of these steps by Japanese scholars was to survey the customs, products, and cultural assets of Korea. Even at this time, it’s completely plausible that the Japanese already had the goal in mind of expropriating Korean cultural assets back to Japan. But before doing this, they needed to map the Korean Peninsula to fully appreciate what awaited them in their conquest. With all of this in mind, the Japanese thoroughly investigated, charted, and mapped Korea’s historical assets and sites. And because of Japan’s shared religious and cultural heritage found in the form…
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Yongmunsa Temple – 용문사 (Namhae, Gyeongsangnam-do)
Temple History Yongmunsa Temple, which is located in Namhae, Gyeongsangnam-do, means “Dragon Gate Temple” in English. Yongmunsa Temple was first constructed in a round about way by the famed monk Wonhyo-daesa (617-686 A.D.) in 663 A.D. Originally, when Wonhyo-daesa built the temple, it was called Bogwangsa Temple on Mt. Geumsan. The temple was later moved to its current location on Mt. Hogusan. It was at this time that the temple changed its name to Yongmunsa Temple. Yongmunsa Temple would eventually be completely destroyed during the Imjin War (1592-1598). Yongmunsa Temple would be rebuilt in 1666, when the Daeung-jeon Hall was built by the monk Baekwol. During the reign of King…
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Colonial Korea – Hwaeomsa Temple
Temple History Hwaeomsa Temple, which is located in Gurye, Jeollanam-do, is on the very south-western edge of the famed Jirisan National Park. Hwaeomsa Temple means “Flower Garland Temple” in English. Because of this name, it is directly linked to Gwanseeum-bosal (The Bodhisattva of Compassion). In Korean, the Flower Garland Sutra is known as “Hwaeom-gyeong – 화엄경.” And in Sanskrit, the sutra is known as the “Avataṃsaka Sūtra.” The temple was first founded in 544 A.D. by the monk Yeongi-josa, who’s believed to have come from India. The temple was then later expanded by Jajang-yulsa (590-648 A.D.) in 643 A.D. And during the reign of King Munmu of Silla (r.661-681 A.D.), the famous monk, Uisang-daesa (625-702 A.D.) inscribed eighty replicas…
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Gwaneumseonwon Hermitage – 관음선원 (Sangju, Gyeongsangbuk-do)
Hermitage History Gwaneumseonwon Hermitage is located in northwestern Sangju, Gyeongsangbuk-do in the southern foothills of Mt. Noeumsan (725.5 m). Gwaneumseonwon Hermitage is a hermitage directly associated with Namjangsa Temple; as such, it’s located some 300 metres north of Namjangsa Temple on the temple grounds. The name of the hermitage comes from the Bodhisattva Gwanseeum-bosal (The Bodhisattva of Compassion). It’s believed that the hermitage was first founded by Jingam as a meditation centre at the end of Unified Silla (668-935 A.D.). After its original construction, Gwaneumseonwon Hermitage was rebuilt several times including in 1668 and 1752. Later, and in 1797, the monk Boin rebuilt the Gwaneum-jeon Hall at the hermitage. This…
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Colonial Korea – Haeinsa Temple
Temple History Haeinsa Temple, which is located in Hapcheon, Gyeongsangnam-do, means “Ocean Seal Temple” in English. The name of the temple is in reference to the “Ocean Seal” samadhi (meditative consciousness) from the Avatamsaka Sutra, or “Flower Garland Sutra” in English, or “Hwaeom-gyeong” in Korean. The reason for this reference is the idea that the mind is like the surface of a perfectly calm sea. And it’s from this that the true image of our existence is clearly reflected and everything appears as it is. Alongside Tongdosa Temple in Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do and Songgwangsa Temple in Suncheon, Jeollanam-do, Haeinsa Temple forms the Three Jewel Temples (삼보사찰, or “Sambosachal” in English). Tongdosa Temple represents the Buddha, Songgwangsa Temple represents the Sangha, and Haeinsa Temple represents…
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Ganwolsa-ji Temple Site – 간월사지 (Ulju-gun, Ulsan)
Temple Site History The Ganwolsa-ji Temple Site is located in Ulju-gun, Ulsan in the eastern foothills of Mt. Ganwolsan (1,069.1 m) up a long valley. It’s believed that the original Ganwolsa Temple was first built by Jajang-yulsa (590-658 A.D.) during the reign of Queen Jindeok of Silla (r. 647-654 A.D.). Later, the temple was destroyed by the invading Japanese during the Imjin War (1592-1598) in 1592. Ganwolsa Temple would eventually be rebuilt in 1634 during the mid-Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). The temple would last until 1836, when it seems as though the temple was abandoned after a large crop failure in the area and subsequent famine according to the Eonyang-hyeon Hojeokdaejang,…
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Colonial Korea – Buseoksa Temple
Temple History Buseoksa Temple, which means “Floating Rock Temple” in English, is located in Yeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do. It’s also one of Korea’s most famous temples. Buseoksa Temple is home to five National Treasures and five additional Korean Treasures. As for the temple itself, Buseoksa Temple was first established by the famed monk, Uisang-daesa (625-702 A.D.), under the royal decree of King Munmu of Silla (r. 661-681 A.D.), in 676 A.D. There were a few reasons for the Silla Kingdom’s royal support in establishing Buseoksa Temple. The first is that it would help promote the ideas behind Hwaeom (Huayan) Buddhism throughout the Korean Peninsula, and Buseoksa Temple would also act as the base to help spread the…
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Cheongsongsa-ji Temple Site – 청송사지 (Ulju-gun, Ulsan)
Temple Site History The Cheongsongsa-ji Temple Site is located in Ulju-gun, Ulsan between Mt. Munsusan (600.1 m) to the north and Mt. Namansan (544.3 m) to the south. Rather interestingly, the Cheongsongsa-ji Temple Site is also a current and active temple named Cheongsongsa Temple. Cheongsongsa Temple was first built during the reign of King Hyoso of Silla (r. 692-702 A.D.). At the time of its original construction, Cheongsongsa Temple was quite a large temple that was equivalent to the size of a small village where the temple is currently situated. It’s assumed that the temple was closed in the mid to late Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). The reason for this belief…