-
Danhosa Temple – 단호사 (Chungju, Chungcheongbuk-do)
Temple History Danhosa Temple is located in the southeastern part of the city of Chungju, Chungcheongbuk-do near agricultural fields and an elementary school. The exact date of the temple’s founding is unknown; however, it was repaired during the reign of King Sukjong of Joseon (r. 1674-1720) during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). At that time, it was known as Yaksa Temple, after the Buddha of Medicine, Yaksayeorae-bul. Eventually, the temple would come to be known as Danhosa Temple in 1954. Additionally, Danhosa Temple belongs to the Taego-jong Order, which is the second largest Buddhist Order in Korea next to the Jogye-jong Order. Danhosa Temple is home to a single Korean Treasure,…
-
Living History – Fred Underwood (The Underwood Family – 1957)
One of the great things about running a website about Korean Buddhist temples is that you get to meet a lot of amazing people. And a lot of these amazing people have varying backgrounds, interests, and insights. Rather amazingly, some of these people first visited Korea in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Here are their stories! Q1: Where are you originally from? Introduce yourself a little. A: I was born in Brooklyn, NY, but my family is from Korea, my father born in Seoul, my mother born in Pyongyang. The Underwoods have lived in Seoul since 1885 and family members of three generations are buried at Yanghwajin cemetery [Yanghwajin Foreign…
-
Seokjongsa Temple – 석종사 (Chungju, Chungcheongbuk-do)
Temple History Seokjongsa Temple is located in the southeastern part of Chungju, Chungcheongbuk-do in the southern foothills of Mt. Namsan (635.5 m). Originally the land that Seokjongsa Temple now occupies was Jukjangsa Temple. Jukjangsa Temple was first established sometime between Unified Silla (668-935) to early Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392). Until the end of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), Jukjangsa Temple was a popular temple. At the end of the Joseon Dynasty, and already with centuries of anti-Buddhist policies in place by successive Joseon governments and courts, the status of the temple (like all temples in Korea) had been severely weakened. So Reverend Jo Gyeongro of Chungju, Chungcheongbuk-do arrived at the temple during…
-
Four Lion Nine-Story Stone Pagoda at Sajabinsinsa Temple Site – 자빈신사지 사사자 구층석탑 (Jecheon, Chungcheongbuk-do)
Pagoda History The “Four Lion Nine-Story Stone Pagoda at Sajabinsinsa Temple Site” is located in the southern foothills of Mt. Malmoesan (688.6 m) and along Dongsan Valley near a river in Jecheon, Chungcheongbuk-do. According to the inscription on the base, the pagoda was first erected in 1022 in the early part of the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392). Additionally, the pagoda is located on the former Binsinsa-ji Temple Site. The pagoda was originally built to help prevent another invasion by the Khitan. In total, there had already been three invasions that took place in 993 A.D., 1010, and 1018-1019 during the Goryeo–Khitan War. So it’s rather obvious why Goryeo would do anything…
-
Colonial Korea – Jikjisa Temple
Temple History Jikjisa Temple, which means “Finger Pointing Temple” in English, sits at the base of Mt. Hwangaksan (1111.3m) in Gimcheon, Gyeongsangbuk-do. The temple is scenically located with quiet forests, towering mountain peaks, and rolling streams. According to temple legend, Jikjisa Temple was built in 418 A.D. by the monk Ado-hwasang. There are three theories as to how the temple got its name. The first states that after first seeing the location, Ado-hwasang pointed to a spot on the mountain and said that a large temple should be built at its base. The second story states that in 936 A.D., Master Neungyeo, while reconstructing the temple, instead of using a ruler…
-
Colonial Korea – Muwisa Temple
Temple History Muwisa Temple is located in the southern portion of the picturesque Wolchulsan National Park in Gangjin, Jeollanam-do. According to both the Cultural Hermitage Administration website and the Muwisa Sajeok, or “The History of Muwisa Temple” in English, the temple was first built in 617 A.D. by the famed monk Wonhyo-daesa (617-686 A.D.). It was named Gwaneumsa Temple (The Bodhisattva of Compassion Temple). But this is hard to believe for a couple of reasons. First, Wonhyo-daesa would have been just a one year old when he first built Muwisa Temple. Additionally, Wonhyo-daesa was a Silla monk. The Silla Kingdom (57 B.C. – 935 A.D.) was in open conflict, and eventual war, with the Baekje Kingdom (18 B.C. – 660 A.D.),…
-
Baekunam Hermitage – 백운암 (Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do)
Hermitage History Baekunam Hermitage is one of the numerous hermitages located on the Tongdosa Temple grounds in Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do. Unlike all the other hermitages at Tongdosa Temple, however, Baekunam Hermitage is located halfway up Mt. Yeongchuksan instead of in the foothills of the mountain. Baekunam Hemritage means “White Cloud Hermitage” in English, and it was first established in 892 A.D. in the waning years of Unified Silla (668-935 A.D.) by the monk Jo-Il. There is not much known about the hermitage from the time it was first established until the early part of the 19th century, when Baekunam Hermitage was reconstructed in 1810 by the monk Chimheo. The hermitage has…
-
Baengnyeonsa Temple – 백련사 (Gangjin, Jeollanam-do)
Temple History Baengnyeonsa Temple is located in the southern foothills of Mt. Mandeoksan (412.1 m) in Gangjin, Jeollanam-do. And the temple looks out beautifully towards the bay and Wando off in the distance. The name of the temple means “White Lotus Temple” in English, and it’s believed to have first been constructed in 839 A.D. by Muyeom-guksa (801-888 A.D.). The original name of the temple, however, was Mandeoksa Temple. Gradually the temple fell into disrepair caused by the efforts of Japanese pirates that were pillaging the coastal areas throughout the Korean Peninsula. The temple was eventually reconstructed in 1170 by the monk Yose. The temple was further expanded and reconstructed…
-
Chiljangsa Temple – 칠장사 (Anseong, Gyeonggi-do)
Temple History Chiljangsa Temple is located in Anseong, Gyeonggi-do in a valley between Mt. Chiljangsan (492.1 m) and Mt. Jebiwolsan (294.4 m). “Chil” in the name of the temple means “seven” in English, which is an auspicious number in traditional Korean culture and Buddhism. As for “jang,” it’s a Chinese character that means “army general” in English. “Jang” also has the meaning of a spiritual guardian that protects people from bad fortune, as well. So the name of the temple, in English, means “Seven Army Generals Temple.” All of this, of course, relates to a temple legend at Chiljangsa Temple (more on that soon). Chiljangsa Temple is said to have…
-
Biroam Hermitage – 비로암 (Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do)
Hermitage History Biroam Hermitage is located on the Tongdosa Temple grounds in Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do in the southern foothills of Mt. Yeongchuksan (1,082.2 m) some 500 metres away from the neighbouring Geukrakam Hermitage. Biroam Hemritage is named after the Buddha of Cosmic Energy, Birojana-bul. It’s recorded that Biroam Hermitage was first founded in 1345 by the monk Yeongsuk. The hermitage would be rebuilt in 1578 by the monk Taeheum. Biroam Hermitage was completely destroyed during the Imjin War (1592-1598), and it was later rebuilt and reconstructed several more times. In total, Biroam Hermitage is home to one protected property, which is a Gyeongsangnam-do Tangible Cultural Property. The protected property is the…