Bogyeongsa Temple, Pohang, South Korea

 Bogyeongsa Temple, Pohang, South Korea

523, Bogyeong-ro, Songna-myeon, Buk-gu, Pohang-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Republic of Korea

Nestled in the Naeyeonsan mountains of Songna-myeon, Buk-gu, Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, Bogyeongsa Temple is one of the most celebrated temples in the region. Although it now operates as a branch temple of Bulguksa, Bogyeongsa is itself a temple of over a thousand years of history. According to records, it was founded in 602 AD — the 25th year of King Jinpyeong of Silla — by the eminent monk Jimyeong, who had returned from his studies in the Chen dynasty of China. After numerous restorations over the centuries, the temple took on its present form following a major reconstruction in 1677, the third year of King Sukjong of Joseon, carried out by the monk Doin and others. Served by frequent city buses from downtown Pohang, the temple draws a steady stream of visitors, and its grounds are lined with an array of shrine halls and pavilions serving various purposes.

Bogyeongsa is home to a remarkable collection of cultural heritage. Among the designated treasures are the Jeokgwangjeon Hall (Treasure No. 1868), the Stele of National Preceptor Wonjin (Treasure No. 252), and the stone stupas (Treasure No. 430), alongside many other artifacts. Of particular note is a set of woodblock engravings bearing the personal calligraphy of King Sukjong, who once toured the famous Twelve Waterfalls of Naeyeonsan and composed poetry in praise of its scenery — his brushwork preserved to this day. Arriving on a rainy late-summer morning, I found the temple grounds unexpectedly bustling with visitors. The turnout was a pleasant surprise, though it did little to distract me from taking in every corner of Bogyeongsa on my first visit.

The main hall, the Daeungjeon, is clearly a modern construction at a glance. By contrast, a modest single-story building nearby — three bays wide and two bays deep — struck me as the oldest surviving wooden structure on the grounds. This is the Jeokgwangjeon Hall, recently designated Treasure No. 1868. Built in 1740, its historical value was further confirmed when an ink inscription was discovered indicating a restoration in 1778 — distinct from the previously assumed date of Sukjong's third year. Notably, the foundation stones and threshold stones of blue jade are believed to date from the original construction, placing them in the Silla period. In other words, the site was once home to a Silla-era structure that has long since disappeared, and the current Joseon-period building was erected atop its remains.

With a typhoon advisory in effect and rain falling throughout the visit, catching Bogyeongsa in a different light was not easy — yet the temple, seen exactly as it was on that long-planned day I finally arrived, felt just right. In front of the ticket booth, a small hotel and various amenities have taken the place of a parking lot, and the unexpectedly large number of visitors had filled every available space, leaving a long row of cars parked along the roadside. The East Sea lies just a short distance away, yet within the temple grounds, the stillness of the deep mountains hung quietly in the late-summer rain.

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