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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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Hakbangsa Temple – 학방사 (Hadong, Gyeongsangnam-do)
Temple History Hakbangsa Temple, which is also referred to as Hakbangam Hermitage, is located in eastern Hadong, Gyeongsangnam-do to the southwest of Mt. Bonghaksan. Hakbangsa Temple means “Fragrant Crane Temple” in English. As for the name of the mountain where Hakbangsa Temple is located, it looks like the shape of a crane lying down. And where the temple is built, it’s placed under what looks like the wings of the crane. Eventually, it’s believed, that the crane will finally spread its wings and soar high up into the sky. According to the temple registration for Gyeongsangnam-do, Hakbangsa Temple was originally founded in the late Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392). There is very…
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Yangdeoksa Temple – 양덕사 (Ulju-gun, Ulsan)
Temple History Yangdeoksa Temple is located in Ulju-gun, Ulsan next to the Gyeongbu Highway that connects Busan to Gyeongju. It’s also at the nexus of the Ulsan Expressway that connects eastern Ulsan with the western part of the city. Yangdeoksa Temple is a modern temple that’s just over 20 years old. The temple also belongs to the Cheontae-jong Order of Korean Buddhism. Temple Layout After making your way under a few highway underpasses and next to several rice fields, you’ll finally stumble upon Yangdeoksa Temple next to a portion of the Eonyang River. The first building to welcome you will be the two-story main hall. The first floor of the…
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Seonghyeolsa Temple – 성혈사 (Yeongju, Gyeongasngbuk-do)
Temple History Seonghyeolsa Temple is located in the eastern confines of Sobaeksan National Park in Yeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do. Seonghyeolsa Temple means “Sacred Cave Temple” in English. The temple is said to have first been founded by the monk Uisang-daesa (625-702 A.D.) during the Silla Dynasty (57 B.C. – 935 A.D.). According to a temple legend, after Uisang-daesa founded the nearby Buseoksa Temple, he established Choamsa Temple on the site of the thatched hut (choam, 草庵) he built when he first visited Mt. Sobaeksan (1,439 m). However, the rafters to the roof of the thatched roof at Choamsa Temple kept disappearing, so Uisang-daesa went out to find them. He would eventually discover…
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Chilseongsa Temple – 칠성사 (Hadong, Gyeongsangnam-do)
Temple History Chilseongsa Temple is located to the west of Chilseong-bong Peak (905.8 m) in northern Hadong, Gyeongsangnam-do. Originally, the temple was known as Geumbongam Hermitage, or “Golden Phoenix Hermitage” in English, when it was rebuilt in 2004. The name of the hermitage then changed to Geumbongsa Temple in 2009 with the increase in prominence of the temple. Finally, the temple was renamed as Chilseongsa Temple, or “Seven Stars Temple” in English, on October 8th, 2014. Chilseongsa Temple is a temple that was restored and rebuilt in 2004 by the monk Danje. Danje was a disciple of Hyobong, who was a monk that served as the Supreme Patriarch of the…
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Seongamsa Temple – 성암사 (Nam-gu, Busan)
Temple History Seongamsa Temple is located on the southern slopes of Mt. Hwangnyeongsan (427m) in Nam-gu, Busan. Because of its location on Mt. Hwangnyeongsan, it’s said to resemble a turtle laying eggs. This is thought to symbolize wealth and prosperity. As a result, Seongamsa Temple is thought to have an auspicious location. According to oral tradition, the temple was first founded in the late Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392), and it once oversaw 13 hermitages. However, no detailed historical records about the temple have survived. There are various legends about the modern origin of the temple. One tells of a lay practitioner, in 1910, who built a hermitage and then enshrined a…
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Guryongsa Temple – 구룡사 (Buk-gu, Busan)
Temple History Guryongsa Temple, which means “Nine Dragons Temple” in English, is located in Buk-gu, Busan with the Nakdong River not too far off to the west. It shouldn’t be confused with the more famous Guryongsa Temple in Wonju, Gangwon-do. It’s believed that the temple was first established in 680 A.D. by the famed monk Uisang-daesa (625-702 A.D.). Guryongsa Temple was originally named Seonhyusa Temple because of its beautiful location. As a result, it was believed that the temple was made in a place where Taoist hermits would want to stop and rest. Eventually, the temple would be renamed Guryongsa Temple. As for the name and how the temple came…
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Songgyesa Temple – 송계사 (Geochang, Gyeongsangnam-do)
Temple History Songgyesa Temple is located in the eastern foothills of Mt. Deogyusan (1,614.2 m) in northern Geochang, Gyeongsangnam-do. Songgyesa Temple means “Pine Stream Temple” in English. It’s believed that the temple was first founded by the monks Wonhyho-daesa (617-686 A.D.) and Uisang-daesa (625-702 A.D.) in 652 A.D. The famed monks first built Yeongchwisa Temple in the area. This was subsequently followed by the building of five hermitages. One of these hermitages was Songgyeam Hermitage. During the Imjin War (1592-98), Yeongchwisa Temple and all five of the hermitages were burned down and destroyed. However, during the reign of King Sukjong of Joseon (r. 1674-1720), the monk Jinmyeong would only rebuild…
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Songunsa Temple – 송운사 (Ulju-gun, Ulsan)
Temple History Songunsa Temple is located in the eastern foothills of Mt. Sinbulsan (1,159.3m) in Ulju-gun, Ulsan. More specifically, Songunsa Temple is located in the northern part of the Amethyst Cave Land. Songunsa Temple is a modern temple that first started to be constructed in 2010. Originally, the temple was an amethyst cave. In fact, Songunsa Temple is the only temple in Korea built within a former amethyst mining cave. According to the abbot of the temple, Hwayong, the cave has existed since Japanese Colonial Rule (1910-45). Later, the caves were filled-in and abandoned. The site had been abandoned for around 40 years. A unique feature to Songunsa Temple, as…
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Munbinjeongsa Temple – 문빈정사 (Dong-gu, Gwangju)
Temple History Munbinjeongsa Temple is located within the boundaries of Mudeungsan National Park. More specifically, Munbinjeongsa Temple is located in the western foothills of Mt. Mudeungsan (1,186.8 m) in Dong-gu, Gwangju. In 1959, Jang Munbin (1893-1987), who was originally from Pyongyang, demolished all of the structures that were being used as private retreats by lay devotees. The site was purportedly the former location of Amitabulam Hermitage on Mt. Mudeungsan. It was here that he decided to build Munbinjeongsa Temple. Originally, the temple was registered as a Taego-jong Order temple in 1969. In 1978, the abbot Seoksan then registered the temple as a Jogye-jong Order temple. The abbot Seoksan was originally…