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Singwangsa Temple – 신광사 (Buk-gu, Gwangju)
Temple History Singwangsa Temple in Buk-gu, Gwangju, which shouldn’t be confused with the dozen or so other temples with the same name in Korea, is located in the eastern part of the city. Singwangsa Temple was first founded in 1933 from the donations of Kim Cheong-jaewol, who was the mother of Choi Dong-yeol. Choi Dong-yeol was a prominent figure in Gwangju around this time. Singwangsa Temple was the first temple in Gwangju to be made for the practice of nuns. In 1944, the first abbess of the temple, Hyeun (慧雲), took over the administration of the temple. She also registered it as a branch temple of Songgwangsa Temple. It was…
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Singwangsa Temple – 신광사 (Geoje-do, Gyeongsangnam-do)
Temple History Singwangsa Temple is located on the southern coast, on the western side, of Geoje, Gyeongsangnam-do. Specifically, Singwangsa Temple is situated on the western portion of Mt. Baekamsan (494.6 m). According to the temple website, the location of Singwangsa Temple has long been regarded as a sacred place for the worship of Buddhism. Singwangsa Temple dates back to the 1930’s, when a farmer, while digging a pond, discovered the Oryang Stone Buddha Statue. This stone Buddha statue dates back to either Later Silla (668-935 A.D.) or the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392). This statue was designated Gyeongsangnam-do Tangible Cultural Heritage #48 in 1972. More recently, Singwangsa Temple underwent extensive building during…