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Silsangsa Temple – 실상사 (Namwon, Jeollabuk-do)
Temple History Silsangsa Temple, which means “True Nature Temple,” in English, is surprisingly located near farmer’s fields alongside the meandering Mansucheon River in Namwon, Jeollabuk-do. Silsangsa Temple is situated in the centre of a cauldron of mountains that make up the northern part of the famed Mt. Jirisan (1915.4 m). Silsangsa Temple was established by the monk Hongcheok (also known as Jeunggak) in 828 A.D. Hongcheok traveled to Tang Dynasty China with the monk Doui-guksa in the early 800’s. Both Hongcheok and Doui-guksa returned to the Korean peninsula after being certified as enlightened in Seon lineage Buddhism. After his return, Hongcheok was named “Guksa,” or “National Preceptor,” in English, by…