Heungguksa Temple, Yeosu, South Korea

Heungguksa Temple, Yeosu, South Korea

567-348, Sangam-ro, Yeosu-si, Jeollanam-do, Republic of Korea

Taking a bus or taxi from Yeosu Airport and passing through the Yeocheon Industrial Complex, one continues well beyond the sprawling refinery and petrochemical plants before climbing a gentle hill that looks, from a distance, like little more than a modest rise behind the complex. It is here that one of the most notable temples in the Yeosu area is to be found — Heungguksa. The temple came to be built somewhat later than many of the more celebrated Buddhist sites scattered across the country. It was founded in 1195, the twenty-fifth year of Goryeo King Myeongjong's reign, by the national monk Jinul, also known as Bojo Guksa, and was reconstructed in 1560, the fifteenth year of Joseon King Myeongjong's reign. During the Japanese invasions of the 1590s, the temple served as a training ground for monk-soldiers and stood as the primary base of operations for the Buddhist militias and volunteer fighters of the region.

The monk Gyeteuk oversaw a further reconstruction in 1624, the second year of King Injo's reign. A dharma hall was added and the Palsangjeon was built in 1690, followed by the Seondang meditation hall in 1780, and the Simgeomdang in 1812. The layout of the complex follows the slope of the hillside, with the Sacheonwangmun, Bonghwangnu Pavilion, Beopwangmun Gate, Daeungjeon, and Palsangjeon arranged in sequence along the central axis, while the Jeokmukdang and Simgeomdang flank the main hall to either side. The Daeungjeon of Heungguksa is a mid-Joseon wooden structure designated Treasure No. 396. The temple further retains the rear Buddhist painting of the Daeungjeon, designated Treasure No. 578, and the Heungguksa Honggyo — a stone arch bridge — designated Treasure No. 563.

As it turned out, this temple, which at first glance had seemed likely to be of little note — swallowed up as it appeared to be within the industrial sprawl of Yeocheon — proved to be a cultural site of considerable depth and history. Today the area is absorbed into the city of Yeosu and serves as the terminus for city buses running frequently from downtown, its surroundings dominated by one of Korea's largest industrial complexes. But it is not difficult to imagine that for a long time before the complex arrived, this temple would have played a central role in the life of the local community. On a weekday morning I appeared to be the only visitor, and a dog tied up in front of the monks' quarters barked loudly and persistently at the sight of a stranger.

Being fond of dogs, I instinctively moved closer whenever I came across one in an unfamiliar place, but this particular creature was having none of it. Pressing any further seemed likely to shatter the quiet of the temple grounds, so I gave up, left the dog to its noise, and continued exploring the precinct. Making my way up past the Daeungjeon, I noticed that the Palsangjeon perched on the upper hillside had an atmosphere that seemed somehow out of the ordinary, and I climbed up to take a look. The view from there was something else entirely. From the moment I had left Yeosu Airport, passed through the industrial complex, and arrived at the temple entrance, the landscape had left such a strong impression of industry and utility that I had expected nothing like this — and yet here, unmistakably, was a temple of genuine age and presence. The long journey from Seoul in the early morning darkness, the rattling flight and the drawn-out descent, had been well worth it after all.

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