• North Korea

    Songbulsa Temple – 성불사 (Sariwon, Hwanghaebuk-to, North Korea)

    Temple History Songbulsa Temple [Seongbulsa Temple] is located in Sariwon, Hwanghaebuk-to, North Korea. Additionally, Songbulsa Temple is located inside the Mt. Jongbangsan [Jeongbangsan] Fortress in the southwest corner. The fortress was rebuilt in 1632 to ward off Japanese pirates. And for the rest of this article, it should be noted, that the spelling of North Korean places will use the North Korean style of spelling. As for the temple, it was first founded in 898 A.D. by Doseon-guksa (826-898 A.D.). After falling into disrepair, Songbulsa Temple was rebuilt in 1374 by Naong (1320-1376). The temple was then expanded in 1569 and 1632. In 1751, the temple was repaired by the…

  • North Korea

    Pohyonsa Temple – 보현사 (Hyangsan, Pyonganbuk-to, North Korea)

    Temple History Pohyonsa Temple [Bohyeonsa Temple] is located in Hyangsan, Pyonganbuk-to [Pyonganbuk-do], North Korea. And for the rest of this article, it should be noted, that the spelling of North Korean places will use the North Korean style of spelling. The temple is named after Bohyeon-bosal, or Pohyon-posal in North Korea, who is the Bodhisattva of Power. Pohyonsa Temple was first founded in 968 A.D. during the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392) as a smaller sized temple. The temple is located near Mt. Myohyangsan (1,909 m). During the Imjin War (1592-1598), Pohyonsa Temple became a base for part of the Righteous Army led by the monk Seosan-daesa (1520-1604), which would assist in…

  • Korean Buddhism Orders and Sects

    Sumisan Sect – Gwangjosa-ji Temple Site (Haeju, Hwanghae-do, North Korea)

    The Sumisan sect was located at the Gwangjosa-ji Temple Site in Haeju, Hwanghae-do, North Korea. The Sumisan sect was established by the monk Ieom-daesa (866-932 A.D.). Ieom-daesa’s family name was Kim, and he was born in 866 A.D. At the age of twelve, he became a monk at Gapsa Temple in Gongju, Chungcheongnam-do. He would receive his precepts under the monk Deongnyang. In 894 A.D., Ieom-daesa would travel to Tang China (618–690, 705–907 A.D.) and receive the dharma from Yunju Daoying (830-902 A.D.), who was the head disciple of the monk Dongshan Liangjia (807-869 A.D.). Ieom-daesa would return to Silla in 911 A.D., where he resided at Seunggwangsa Temple in…