Sinwonsa Temple, Gongju, South Korea

Sinwonsa Temple, Gongju, South Korea

1, Sinwonsadong-gil, Gyeryong-myeon, Gongju-si, Chungcheongnam-do, Republic of Korea

I had come primarily to visit Gapsa Temple on Gyeryongsan, and on a whim, curiosity drew me to nearby Sinwonsa as well. Currently a subsidiary temple of Magoksa, Sinwonsa is located in Yanghwa-ri, Gyeryong-myeon, Gongju City, South Chungcheong Province. This temple of a thousand years was founded in 651 CE, the eleventh year of Baekje King Uija's reign, by the monk Bodeok. It was rebuilt by the national monk Doseon toward the end of the Silla period, reconstructed again in 1298, the twenty-fourth year of Goryeo King Chungnyeol's reign, by the monk Mugi, and later expanded by the Joseon-era monk Muhak, who is credited with adding the Yeongwonjeon shrine hall. In 1866, the third year of King Gojong's reign, the Chungcheong provincial governor Sim Sang-hun undertook a restoration and renamed the temple Sinwonsa, and in 1876, the monk Boyeon carried out a further reconstruction that brought the complex to roughly its present form.

Alongside the main Daeungjeon hall, Sinwonsa retains a handsome hip-and-gabled structure spanning three bays across the front and three bays deep — a building of considerable distinction among late Joseon architectural works. This is the Jungakdan, a ceremonial altar dedicated to the mountain deity of Gyeryongsan. Korea's traditional system of mountain spirit shrines comprised three such sites: the Sangakdan on Myohyangsan to the north and the Hagakdan on Jirisan to the south, with the Jungakdan here at Gyeryongsan standing as the middle altar. It is also said that the Buddhist image enshrined in the incense hall was placed there in honor of Empress Myeongseong, and for this reason Sinwonsa has long been associated with her memory. The temple carries a Baekje-era story as well: Prince Yung, son of the last Baekje king, is said to have fled here to escape the allied Silla-Tang forces, and it was at this very place — Sinwonsa — that he surrendered to the Silla army.

It was late autumn, and most of the leaves had already fallen, leaving the branches bare and the grounds wrapped in a stillness that spoke of absence. Perhaps it was the weight of the stories — Empress Myeongseong, and before her the defeated Baekje prince seeking refuge here — but the place carried a melancholy that seemed to belong to it regardless of season. The weekday quiet made it feel all the more deserted, until after a little while a handful of children appeared from somewhere and began running through the precinct, filling the air with cheerful noise. It was a little chaotic, but far preferable, I thought, to the emptiness that had preceded them. Being on the slopes of Gyeryongsan, the distant peaks of the mountain were visible from the grounds, framing the scene with a quiet grandeur.

There is no way to reach Sinwonsa by public transportation, so after finishing at Gapsa I had asked the taxi to wait — a decision I deeply regretted once I had let it go. After completing my visit and preparing to leave, I found myself stranded, and spent some time deliberating before eventually calling another taxi to take me back into Gongju. Compared to North Chungcheong, South Chungcheong conceals a surprisingly rich scattering of cultural heritage tucked away in unexpected corners. Sinwonsa might easily have passed as an unremarkable temple of no particular distinction — and yet seen through the story of the ill-fated Empress Myeongseong, it takes on an entirely different character and weight. There is a particular joy in seeking out places like this — temples that are little known, seldom visited, and entirely unexpected — and I find that joy difficult to put into words.

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