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Sanshin-gak – The Mountain Spirit Hall: 산신각
Introduction At a Korean Buddhist temple, you will often find shaman deities. Usually, you can find these shaman deities housed inside a shaman shrine hall called a Samseong-gak Hall. Housed inside this hall are Sanshin (The Mountain Spirit), Dokseong (The Lonely Saint), Chilseong (The Seven Stars) and/or Yongwang (The Dragon King). These shaman deities are also sometimes housed in their own shaman shrine halls like a Sanshin-gak, a Dokseong-gak, a Chilseong-gak, or a Yongwang-dang. Or there can be a combination with two shaman deities housed in the same shrine hall like inside a Sanshin/Dokseong-gak. Sanshin-gak Design The first of these shaman deities I’ll be talking about is Sanshin, or “The…
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Songgwangsa Temple – 송광사 (Wanju, Jeollabuk-do)
Temple History Songgwangsa Temple, which is located in Wanju, Jeollabuk-do, is situated south of Mt. Jongnamsan (608.3m). This Songgwangsa Temple, however, shouldn’t be confused with the more famous temple with the same name in Suncheon, Jeollanam-do. This Songgwangsa Temple was first founded in 867 A.D. by the monk Doui-guksa. Originally, when the temple was first constructed in 867 A.D., it was known as Baekryongsa Temple. Eventually, the temple would be renamed by the famed monk Jinul (1158-1210) during the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392). After years of neglect, Jinul asked his disciples to renovate and rebuild the temple. Unfortunately, this wish wasn’t fulfilled by his disciples. The temple was largely destroyed during…
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Geukrak-jeon – Paradise Hall: 극락전
Introduction A Geukrak-jeon Hall is dedicated to Amita-bul (The Buddha of the Western Paradise). Amita-bul is a transliteration of the Sanskrit “Amitabha,” which means “Immeasurable Life,” in English. Amita-bul is the overseer of the Western Pure Land, or “Jeongto,” in Korean. This idea is rooted in the very name of the Geukrak-jeon Hall, which means “Paradise Hall,” in English. The hall also goes by a couple other names like Mita-jeon or Muryangsu-jeon like at the famous Buseoksa Temple in Yeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do. The name Muryangsu-jeon means “Immeasurable Life Hall,” in English, which again, is another parallel to Amita-bul. Geukrak-jeon Design Amita-bul was born from the meditation of the first Buddha. That’s…
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Gwanryongsa Temple – 관룡사 (Changnyeong, Gyeongsangnam-do)
Temple History Gwanryongsa Temple is located in Changnyeong, Gyeongsangnam-do. The temple is in fact located south of Mt. Gwanryongsan (753.6m) in Hwawang District Park. The name of the temple, Gwanryongsa Temple, means “Sighting Dragon Temple,” in English. There are two differing dates as to when Gwanryongsa Temple was first built. One is in 349 A.D., during the reign of King Heulae of Silla (r.310-356 A.D.). And the other date of when Gwanryongsa Temple was first established is in 583 A.D. by the monk Jeungbeop-guksa. As for the name of the temple, it comes from Wonhyo-daesa (617-686 A.D.). On the last day that Wonhyo-daesa was praying on the neighbouring Mt. Hwawangsan…
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Myeongbu-jeon – The Judgment Hall: 명부전
Introduction Another prominent figure in Korean Buddhism is Jijang-bosal (The Bodhisattva of the Afterlife). Next to the Gwaneum-jeon Hall, the Myeongbu-jeon Hall is the most popular Bodhisattva shrine hall at a Korean Buddhist temple. At major temples, Jijang-bosal is housed in his own hall, which is called the Myeongbu-jeon Hall, or the “Judgment Hall,” in English. It’s meant to symbolize a “dark court” or “underworld,” where the souls of the dead are being judged. The Judgment Hall is one of the more unique looking buildings at a temple because of its gruesome depictions of the afterlife, the uplifting paintings of salvation, the ominous judges, and the serenely redemptive Jijang-bosal. At…
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Gapsa Temple – 갑사 (Gongju, Chungcheongnam-do)
Temple History Gapsa Temple is located in Gyeryongsan National Park in Gongju, Chungcheongnam-do. Gapsa Temple is the most important temple in the Gyeryongsan National Park area. Originally, the temple was known as Gyeronggapsa Temple, which means “Rooster Dragon Foremost Temple,” in English. The temple was then called Gyeryongsa-sa in the early Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). The first “sa” in the name meant “fundamental,” so the temple was called “Rooster Dragon Fundamental Temple” in English. It was at the end of the 18th century that the name of the temple changed once more to Gyeryongsan Gapsa. Now the temple is known as Gapsa Temple, which simply means “Foremost Temple” in English. Gapsa…
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Mireuk-jeon – The Future Buddha Hall: 미륵전
Introduction According to tradition, Mireuk-bul, or the “Future Buddha,” in English, will achieve Buddhahood in 5.67 billion years after the death of the historical Buddha, Seokgamoni-bul. So Mireuk-bul is seen as both a Buddha and a Bodhisattva, which can sometimes be a bit confusing when you visit a temple and see that Mireuk-bul is Mireuk-bosal, or vice versa. They are one in the same, just at different stages of their spiritual journey. Mireuk-bul is the next in a long line of Buddhas much like Seokgamoni-bul (the Buddha we all know). Until then, Mireuk-bul resides in Dosol-cheon (Tusita Heaven) as a Bodhisattva, Mireuk-bosal. Currently, he passes his time by teaching heavenly…
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Donghaksa Temple – 동학사 (Gongju, Chungcheongnam-do)
Temple History Donghaksa Temple, which means “East Crane Temple,” in English, is located in Gongju, Chungcheongnam-do. Originally, the temple was first constructed in 724 A.D. by the little known monk Sangwon-josa. One source claims Sangwon-josa was a monk from Tang China. The temple was called Cheongryangsa Temple, or “Clear Cold Temple,” in English. It was called this in honour of the cool mountain stream that flowed, and still flows, in front of the temple. According to one legend, Sangwon-josa saved the life of a tiger. In order to repay the monk, the tiger brought a young woman to the temple. Sangwon-josa decided to adopt the young woman, and he treated…
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Taeansa Temple – 태안사 (Gokseong, Jeollanam-do)
Temple History Taeansa Temple, which is located on Mt. Bongdusan (753.8 m), or Mt. Dongrisan (as the temple calls this mountain), in Gokseong, Jeollanam-do. And even though it’s several kilometres away from Mt. Jirisan (1915 m), the temple is still considered part of the greater Mt. Jirisan area. The name of the temple means “Great Peace Temple,” in English. According to historical documents, Taeansa Temple was first constructed in February, 742 A.D. by three master monks. Later, Great Meditation Master Hyecheol Jeogin-seonsa (785-861 A.D.), who received Buddhist teachings from Grand Master Seodang-jijang of Tang China, returned to the Silla Kingdom. He established Dongrisanmun, which was one of the Gusan Seonmun…
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Gwaneum-jeon – Hall of Avalokitesvara: 관음전
Introduction Perhaps the most popular shrine hall at a Korean temple, outside the Daeung-jeon main hall, is the Gwaneum-jeon Hall. The Gwaneum-jeon Hall is a hall dedicated to Gwanseeum-bosal (The Bodhisattva of Compassion). Compassion, in this sense, is often associated in Korean Buddhism with the unconditional love of a mother. This hall is typically packed with worshipers all hours of the day and days of the week. Gwaneum-jeon Design Gwanseeum-bosal means “the hearer of cries,” in English. Gwanseeum-bosal was born from a ray of light emanating from Amita-bul’s right eye. As a result of her origins, Gwanseeum-bosal is closely associated with Amita-bul (The Buddha of the Western Paradise). In fact,…