Jeongamsa Temple, Jeongseon, South Korea

Jeongamsa Temple, Jeongseon, South Korea

1410, Hambaeksan-ro, Gohan-eup, Jeongseon-gun, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea

Administratively located in Gohan-ri, Gohan-eup, Jeongseon County, Jeongamsa Temple sits at the foot of Taebaeksan Mountain and is sometimes referred to as Taebaeksan Jeongamsa for that reason. A ten-minute taxi ride from the towns of Sabuk or Gohan brings one deep into the mountains, where this temple stands as one of the five Jeongmyeolbogung sanctuaries in Korea — among the most spiritually significant Buddhist sites in the country. According to tradition, Jeongamsa was founded in 636, the fifth year of Queen Seondeok of Silla, by the monk Jajang, who brought back sacred relics of the historical Buddha and enshrined them here. Those relics are said to rest within the Sumanot Pagoda, Treasure No. 410, which rises prominently from the mountain slope behind the temple; below it stands the Jeongmyeolbogung hall, where worship is conducted without a Buddha statue — the enshrined relics themselves serving as the object of veneration.

The towns of Sabuk and Gohan in Jeongseon were developed during Korea's industrialization era as coal mining centers, and for a time they thrived. But as the coal industry went into decline, the region hollowed out and the towns grew dark and quiet, the life draining out of them. In an effort to revive the collapsed local economy, the government established the Gangwon Land Casino nearby — and now those who dream of sudden fortune flock to the area like moths drawn to a flame. Yet here in the deep folds of these mountains, where one might expect to find nothing at all, a temple of over a thousand years quietly endures. A small temple, at that — one that holds within it one of only five Jeongmyeolbogung sanctuaries in the entire country. On days when snow or rain closes in, the temple must feel entirely cut off from the outside world, as though nothing else remains — and there is something undeniably forlorn about it in such moments.

Jeongamsa is found by following the road that runs from Sabuk through Gohan and over the pass toward Taebaek, where the temple entrance appears along the way. The mountains here are so deep and steep that one must crane one's neck to catch even a glimpse of the peaks above, and sunlight is a scarce commodity — there are few spots within the valley where direct sun reaches for any length of time. This, perhaps, is why the most important structure at Jeongamsa — the Sumanot Pagoda — was placed at the very edge of the upper mountain slope, where it can rise above the surrounding terrain. Rare in Korea, the pagoda is built in the style of a seven-story imitation-brick stone tower, standing nine meters in total height, constructed with remarkable precision from gray agate stone. Based on its method of construction, it is believed to date to the Goryeo period.

When the Sumanot Pagoda was dismantled and restored in 1972, a set of relic vessels was discovered within — but the sacred relics of the Buddha were not among them. According to tradition, Jajang, concerned that future generations might be tempted by greed, divided the sacred relics he had brought back from the Tang Dynasty among three separate pagodas: one of gold, one of silver, and one of agate — the Sumanot. The gold and silver pagodas, it is said, were concealed from human sight and are believed to lie somewhere on Geumdaebong Peak to the north of Jeongamsa and Eundaebong Peak to the south — a legend not unlike the old tale of the golden axe and the silver axe. Of the three, only the Sumanot Pagoda's location is known with certainty, and it is for this reason that the Jeongmyeolbogung hall was built at its foot, Jeongamsa established around it, and prayers have been offered here ever since — for the sake of all sentient beings.

If you would like to experience a unique side of Korea, the "Land of the Morning Calm," please feel free to reach out. I host small, private guided tours tailored for international visitors.

Contact: 7sevensmart@gmail.com

https://korean-heritage-trail.blogspot.com/
https://www.photonuri.com