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Buinsa Temple – 부인사 (Dong-gu, Daegu)
Temple History Buinsa Temple, which was first constructed during the 7th century, is located on the southern part of the famous Mt. Palgongsan (1,192.3m) in northern Daegu. The name of the temple is an honourific reference to a woman, which simply means “Ma’am” or “Madam,” in English. So the name of the temple means “Ma’am/Madam Temple,” in English. The reason that it’s called this is it’s in reference to Queen Seondeok (r.632-647 A.D.). In fact, the temple was built to pray for the overall health and welfare of Queen Seondeok. Queen Seondeok was the first reigning queen of the Silla Dynasty (57 B.C. – 935 A.D.). She encouraged the arts,…
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Manbulsa Temple – 만불사 (Yeongcheon, Gyeongsangbuk-do)
Temple History Manbulsa Temple, which means “Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple,” in English, is located in south-eastern Yeongcheon, Gyeongsangbuk-do. The temple is scenically located in a valley west of Mt. Manbulsan (275.4m). Manbulsa Temple is a modern temple in the truest sense of the word with its overstated colours and ornate shrine halls. The idea for the construction of Manbulsa Temple dates back to 1981, when the monk Hakseong first thought of building it. However, it’s not until 1992 that the first cornerstone got laid at Manbulsa Temple, which, in effect, started the initial construction of the temple. In February, 1993, the founding monk, Hakseong, brought back a sari (crystallized remain)…
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Mireuksa Temple – 미륵사 (Geumjeong-gu, Busan)
Temple History Mireuksa Temple, which is located in Geumjeong-gu, Busan, is indirectly named after the Future Buddha, Mireuk-bul. The reason that the temple is named after Mireuk-bul is because Mireuksa Temple is located under Mireuk-bong Peak (712m) on Mt. Geumjeongsan (801.5m). And the reason that Mireuk-bong Peak gets the name it does is because it’s believed to resemble Mireuk-bul wearing a laureate. From this, it’s believed that Mireuk-bong Peak has given people spiritual energy throughout the centuries. The exact date of the temple’s construction is unknown. However, it’s believed by some that Mireuksa Temple, which was formerly known as Mireukam Hermitage, was founded by the famed monk Wonhyo-daesa (617-686 A.D.)…
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Pyochungsa Temple – 표충사 (Miryang, Gyeongsangnam-do)
Temple History Pyochungsa Temple, which is located in eastern Miryang, Gyeongsangnam-do, beneath the watchful eye of Mt. Jaeyaksan (1119.1m). The name of the temple means “Display Loyalty (Devotion or Fidelity) Temple,” in English. And Pyochungsa Temple was first established in 654 A.D. by the famed monk Wonhyo-daesa (617 – 686 A.D.). The temple was established after Wonhyo-daesa was meditating at a nearby temple. Looking up, he saw a group of auspicious clouds glowing iridescently above a bamboo forest. Immediately, Wonhyo-daesa built a meditation hut, uphill, where Geumgangam Hermitage now stands. Initially, the temple was called Jungnimsa Temple, which means “Bamboo Forest Temple,” in English. Later, in 826 A.D., the temple…
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Bogyeongsa Temple – 보경사 (Pohang, Gyeongsangbuk-do)
Temple History Bogyeongsa Temple, which is located in northern Pohang, Gyeongsangbuk-do, is situated to the east of Mt. Cheonryeongsan (774.8 m). Bogyeongsa Temple was first built in 603 A.D., during the reign of King Jinpyeong of Silla (r.579 – 632 A.D.) by the monk Jimyeong. Upon his return to the Silla Kingdom from studying in Tang China, Jimyeong instructed King Jinpyeong of Silla, “If you discover an auspicious site on a famous mountain on the east coast, bury Palmyeong-bogyeong [scripture], and build a Buddhist temple, you will be able to prevent Japanese pirates from invading the Silla Kingdom, and you will unify the Three Kingdoms.” The king was happy to…
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Chilbulam Hermitage – 칠불암 (Gyeongju)
Hermitage History Chilbulam Hermitage means “Seven Buddhas Hermitage” in English. Chilbulam Hermitage is located on the southeastern part of Mt. Namsan (495.1 m) at the summit of Bonghwa-gok Valley (烽火谷). Temples and hermitages first started to appear on Mt. Namsan in Gyeongju around the 7th century. And from the 9th to 10th centuries, many Buddhist sites like statues and pagodas were located along the ridges and valleys of Mt. Namsan. Chilbulam Hermitage was one of these hermitages. The name of the hermitage likely derives from the “Rock-carved Buddhas at Chilbulam Hermitage in Namsan Mountain,” which consists of a rock-carved triad and joined by four Buddha reliefs carved on a square…
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Golgulsa Temple -골굴사 (Gyeongju)
Temple History Golgulsa Temple, which means “Bone Cave Temple,” in English, is located in eastern Gyeongju. East of Seokguram Hermitage, and over a mountain pass, you can find Golgulsa Temple to the south of the towering Mt. Hamwolsan (584 m) in a narrow valley. Golgulsa Temple was first built sometime during the 6th century by the monk Gwangyu. Gwangyu came back to Korea from India with some followers and built Golgulsa Temple to emulate the cave temples in India. According to the painter, Jeong Seon (1676 – 1759), pen name Gyeomjae, who painted during the mid Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), he painted Golgulsa Temple with a wooden antechamber in front of…
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Unmunsa Temple – 운문사 (Cheongdo, Gyeongsangbuk-do)
Temple History Unmunsa Temple, which means “Cloud Gate Temple” in English, is located in Cheongdo, Gyeongsangbuk-do. Specifically, Unmunsa Temple is located to the north of Mt. Gajisan (1240.9m). The temple was first built over a three year period starting in 557 A.D. by the monk Sinseung. At first, it was nothing more than a hermitage. The temple was later rebuilt by the monk Wongwang-guksa (558-638 A.D.) in 608 A.D. Originally, the temple was named Daejakgapsa Temple, or “Great Magpie Hillside Temple,” in English. The monk Boyang-guksa reconstructed Unmunsa Temple in 930 A.D. The founder of the Goryeo Dynasty, King Taejo (r.918-943 A.D.), granted Boyang-guksa 500 gyeol (or 17,000 square metres)…
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Chunghyosa Temple – 충효사 (Yeongcheon, Gyeongsangbuk-do)
Temple History Chunghyosa Temple is located in the very scenic Yeongcheon, Gyeongsangbuk-do. It’s situated to the north of the picturesque Lake Yeongcheon, which is a long and deep lake, and east of Mt. Giryongsan (965.5m). Chunghyosa Temple, which means “Loyalty to Nation Temple,” in English, is located in Chunghyo-ri. This part of Yeongcheon is filled with locations with similar names, too. Chunghyosa Temple was first built in the 1970’s, and it has continued to grow and expand throughout the ensuing decades. Chunghyosa Temple is not apart of the Jogye-jong Buddhist Order, or even the Taego-jong Buddhist Order or the Cheontae-jong Buddhist Order in Korea. Instead, the temple focuses on the…
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Daeheungsa Temple – 대흥사 (Haenam, Jeollanam-do)
Temple History Daeheungsa Temple, which means “Great Emerging Temple,” in English, is located in Duryunsan Provincial Park on Mt. Duryunsan (700m), which means “Head Wheel Mountain,” in English. The temple is located in the city of Haenam, Jeollanam-do. Because the name of the mountain that Daeheungsa Temple is located on has also been called Mt. Daedunsan (673.4m), the name of the temple has alternated between Daedunsa Temple and Daeheungsa Temple. In 1993, the name of the temple, changed once more, from Daeheungsa Temple back to Daedunsa Temple. Finally, in 2003, it was changed to Daeheungsa Temple, perhaps for good? Throughout the years, the name of the mountain that hosts Daeheungsa…