Ulsan
Introduction to Ulsan
Ulsan is located in the southeast corner of the country, and it’s the eighth largest city in Korea. Overall, it has a population of 1.153 million people, and it’s officially the Ulsan Metropolitan City. Ulsan is bordered by Busan to the south, Gyeongsangnam-do to the west, Gyeongju and Gyeongsangbuk-do to the north, and the East Sea to the east.
Historically, and during the Jinhan confederacy (1st century B.C. to 4th century A.D.), Ulsan was a site for iron mining and production. Later, and during Unified Silla (668-935 A.D.), Ulsan was an important port for the capital of Gyeongju. This port would help import luxurious Persian goods like silver and glass and it would expand fishing, as well. And during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), Ulsan would develop a shipbuilding site in 1642.
Administratively, Ulsan is divided into 4 districts, which are known as “gu” in Korean. The city of Ulsan also consists of one county, which is known as a “gun” in Korean. The largest of this districts, at least according to population, is Nam-gu at nearly 320,000 people. And the smallest of these administrative areas is Dong-gu at nearly 160,000 people. Economically, Ulsan is an industrial powerhouse for the rest of Korea. And at the heart of this industry is the Ulsan Industrial District. Ulsan, and this district in particular, have the world’s largest auto assembly plant, the world’s largest shipyard, and it also operates heavy industries. These three industries are owned and operated by Hyundai. This district also has the world’s third largest oil refinery that’s owned by SK Energy.
While Ulsan is known for its industrial output, there are also tourist locations that can be enjoyed along the East Sea and the western parts of the city like Eonyang. The average temperature for Ulsan in January is 2.0 degrees, and the average temperature in August is 25.9 degrees.
While Ulsan isn’t as well-known as other provinces or even cities for its temples, it does have its fair share. There are more historic temples like Seoknamsa Temple and Munsusa Temple in Ulju-gun, and it has more modern temples like Baekyangsa Temple in Jung-gu and Jeongtosa Temple in Nam-gu. Below is a list of Buddhist temples in Ulsan.
Ulsan Temples
1. Baekyangsa Temple – 백양사 (Jung-gu, Ulsan): 8/10
2. Jeongtosa Temple – 정토사 (Nam-gu, Ulsan): 8/10
3. Sujeongsa Temple – 수정사 (Ulju-gun, Ulsan): 8/10
4. Seoknamsa Temple – 석남사 (Ulju-gun, Ulsan): 7.5/10
5. Munsusa Temple – 문수사 (Ulju-gun, Ulsan): 7.5/10
6. Sinbulsa Temple – 신불사 (Ulju-gun, Ulsan): 6.5/10
7. Manghaesa-ji Temple Site – 망해사지 (Ulju-gun, Ulsan): 6.5/10
8. Sinheungsa Temple – 신흥사 (Buk-gu, Ulsan): 6/10
9. Cheongsongsa-ji Temple Site – 청송사지 (Ulju-gun, Ulsan): 6/10