Seonggulsa Temple – 성굴사 (Gyeongsan, Gyeongsangbuk-do)
Temple History
Seonggulsa Temple is located in southern Gyeongsan, Gyeongsangbuk-do to the northeast of Mt. Donghaksan (602.7 m). Formerly, the temple was known as Mansusa Temple. The temple, including the caves, seem to be modern in construction.
Temple Layout
You first approach Seonggulsa Temple up a long valley. On the eastern banks of the narrow stream is the eccentric Seonggulsa Temple. The first thing to greet you at the temple is a beautiful three metre tall stone statue dedicated to Yaksayeorae-bul (The Buddha of Medicine, and the Buddha of the Eastern Paradise). To the left are numerous stone pagodas reminiscent of the ones at Tapsa Temple. In total, there are 108 of these pagodas at Seonggulsa Temple. On the side of the largest pagoda is an Indian-influenced multi-armed and headed image of Gwanseeum-bosal (The Bodhisattva of Compassion). It’s just beyond this, and dug from the face of the neihgbouring mountain, that you’ll find a wooden entry to an artificial cave. Inside this artificial cave, which appears more like a bomb shelter than a Yaksa-jeon Hall, you’ll find a solitary stone image of Yaksayeorae-bul on the main altar at the end of the cave. The walls are lined with a solitary string of pink lotus lanterns.
To the right of this cave Yaksa-jeon Hall is a two-story structure. This modern-looking 1970s structure has the Daeung-jeon Hall on the second story of the structure. The exterior walls are adorned in simple dancheong colours. Stepping inside the Daeung-jeon Hall, you’ll find a triad of statues on the main altar. In the centre rests an image of Seokgamoni-bul (The Historical Buddha), who is joined on either side by images of Munsu-bosal (The Bodhisattva of Wisdom) and Bohyeon-bosal (The Bodhisattva of Power). To the left of this triad rests a painting and statue dedicated to Jijang-bosal (The Bodhisattva of the Afterlife). And to the right of the main altar are a pair of paintings. The first is dedicated to Chilseong (The Seven Stars). This painting is fronted by an image of Yaksayeorae-bul. And next to this painting is the Shinjung Taenghwa (Guardian Mural).
To the right of the Daeung-jeon Hall is another artificial cave at Seonggulsa Temple. This is the Jijang-jeon Hall. On the main altar are two smaller statues of Jijang-bosal. The first, in the centre, is a seated green-haired image of the Bodhisattva of the Afterlife. And to the left is a standing golden image of Jijang-bosal. Again, the interior of the cave shrine hall is lined with pink lotus lanterns. To the right, in a dugout enclave, is an image of a multi-armed and headed Gwanseeum-bosal (The Bodhisattva of Compassion).
And to the right of this cave Jijang-jeon Hall is an outdoor shrine with an altar that houses what looks to be a moon rock. In front of the moon rock stands an upright stone with red written painting on it. The red painting reads “Buddha’s Mind” on it. And it’s past this red stone and the monks’ dorms that you’ll find the stony exterior of the Sanshin-gak Hall. The painting housed inside this shaman shrine hall of Sanshin (The Mountain Spirit) is both modern and traditional in design.
How To Get There
From the Gyeongsan Intercity Bus Terminal, you’ll need to walk about 5 minutes, or 300 metres, to get to the “Gyeongsan Shijang Market – 경산시장 하차” bus stop. From this stop, you’ll need to take the Namcheon Bus. After 15 stops, or 18 minutes, you’ll need to get off at the Sinseok (Cheongdo) stop. From where the bus drops you off, you’ll need to walk 3.5 kilometres, or 52 minutes, to the temple.
You can take public transportation or simply take a taxi directly to Seonggulsa Temple. The taxi ride should take about 20 minutes, or 8.6 km, and it’ll cost you around 13,000 won (one way).
Overall Rating: 5/10
Seonggulsa Temple isn’t like many other temples that you’ve visited in Korea. By far, the two main highlights are the two artificial caves that are the Jijang-jeon Hall and the Yaksa-jeon Hall. There are other highlights like the stony exterior of the Sanshin-gak Hall, the 108 stone pagodas at Seonggulsa Temple, and the retro main hall. This is a good temple to visit if you want something a bit different from the everyday.
