Ansimsa Temple, Cheongju, South Korea

Ansimsa Temple, Cheongju, South Korea

169-28, Sadong-gil, Nami-myeon, Seowon-gu, Cheongju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do, Republic of Korea

Ansimsa Temple sits on the outskirts of Cheongju City in North Chungcheong Province, a subsidiary temple of Beopjusa — the most prominent Buddhist temple in the province. Even many residents of Cheongju are unaware of its existence, yet it too stands as a temple of over a thousand years. According to tradition, it was founded in 775, the eleventh year of King Hyegong of Silla, by the monk Jinpyo. After its establishment, his many disciples named the temple Ansimsa — meaning "the temple that brings peace to the village." It was rebuilt in 1325 during the twelfth year of King Chungsuk of Goryeo by the National Monk Wonmyeong, and underwent several further reconstructions during the Joseon Dynasty, before being burned to the ground during the Japanese invasion of 1592 and falling into ruin. The temple survived only as a faint remnant until it was rebuilt in the 1980s, taking on the form it holds today.

Among the various halls at Ansimsa, the oldest surviving structure is the Daeungjeon, the main hall, which is designated Treasure No. 664 and dates to the Joseon period. No records survived to confirm its precise date of construction, but during a restoration project in 1979 in which the hall was dismantled for repair, an ink inscription was discovered indicating that the building had been renovated in 1606, the thirty-ninth year of King Seonjo's reign — confirming it as a Joseon-era structure from the early seventeenth century. Also believed to have been created and enshrined at the time of that same renovation is the Hanging Painting of the Vulture Peak Assembly, designated National Treasure No. 297. In other words, this is a wooden structure some four hundred years old. The building was originally three bays across the front and three bays along the sides, but through successive rounds of repair, one bay was lost from the sides and the roof was changed from a hip-and-gable form to a gabled form.

My first question upon arriving was why such a significant wooden structure had survived in so obscure a location — but standing before the Daeungjeon of Ansimsa and taking it in, I found myself nodding in quiet understanding. It is small in scale, yet it is unmistakably a work of beauty, one that carries within it the full grace of Joseon-period Buddhist art. The temple holds several other treasures as well, among them the Sejonsarip Stupa and its accompanying stele, which tradition holds were erected by the founding monk Jinpyo to enshrine relics of the historical Buddha. The stupa disappeared in the late Joseon period, only to be rediscovered on Guryongsan Mountain; it was moved to Gucheon-dong in 1881, the eighteenth year of King Gojong's reign, and then returned to its original home at Ansimsa in 1900, the fourth year of the Gwangmu era.

My visit to Ansimsa fell on a spring day, and the temple grounds were in full bloom with white hydrangeas. The sky was clear and deeply blue, and the white blossoms spread across the courtyard formed a scene of striking beauty in harmony with that sky. The cultural heritage we encountered at this little-known temple was, as ever, magnificent — more than worthy of the deliberate effort it takes to seek it out. If the chance arises, I would very much like to return in the autumn.

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

Gaesimsa Temple, Seosan, South Korea

Gaesimsa Temple, Seosan, South Korea

321-86, Gaesimsa-ro, Unsan-myeon, Seosan-si, Chungcheongnam-do, Republic of Korea

Hidden away in Sinchang-ri, Unsan-myeon, Seosan City, South Chungcheong Province, lies a temple that can only be described as a hidden gem. Little known to the general public for much of its history, it was brought to wider attention when Professor Yoo Hong-june — who later served as Commissioner of the Cultural Heritage Administration — introduced it in one of his books. Getting there is no simple matter either: there is no public transportation of any kind, and visitors must arrive by private car or taxi. Even so, the number of people making the trip appears to be growing of late, and restaurants and other amenities have been appearing one by one in the surrounding area.

Gaesimsa is a subsidiary temple of Sudeoksa, the head temple of the seventh district of the Jogye Order. According to tradition, it was founded in 651 — the eleventh year of King Uija of Baekje — by the National Monk Hyegam, under the name Gaewonsa. It was renamed Gaesimsa when the monk Cheoneung undertook a major reconstruction in 1350, and was rebuilt again in 1475, the sixth year of King Seongjong of Joseon, before undergoing comprehensive restoration in 1955. The main hall, Daeungjeon, designated Treasure No. 143, is a wooden structure built in 1484 during the fourteenth year of King Seongjong's reign. It is a single-story building of three bays across the front and three bays along the sides. Its structural system blends the dapo and jusimpo bracket styles, and its fundamental composition bears a close resemblance to the Geungnakjeon at Muwisa Temple — one of the most representative jusimpo structures of the early Joseon period.

Stepping out of the parking area and looking up the stone steps, one is greeted by the Beomjongak bell pavilion and the Anyangnu gate pavilion. The calligraphy on the signboard reading "Gaesimsa of Sangwangsan Mountain" captures, in a single glance, the entire spirit of this place. Passing through Anyangnu leads directly into the courtyard in front of Daeungjeon, a space suffused with the scent of aged timber. The Muryangsu Hall nearby immediately draws the eye with its remarkable columns — rough-hewn timber used exactly as nature left it, with all its irregularities intact, so that the pillars supporting the building are uneven and organic in form. It is this quality of natural beauty, unforced and unstudied, that makes this temple all the more endearing.

Gaesimsa is especially celebrated for its cherry blossoms in April. When the wild mountain cherries bloom across the hillsides and the ornamental cherry tree in front of the Myeongbujeon hall bursts into full flower, the temple is said to take on an almost fantastical appearance. I have not yet had the chance to visit at that time of year, but simply taking in the restrained, dignified atmosphere of the grounds is more than enough to conjure the image. The arrangement of the temple buildings — to which nothing could be added and from which nothing could be taken away — seems to distill the essence of traditional Korean Buddhist architecture into a single, quietly complete composition. I found it so thoroughly satisfying that even after I had finished exploring, I lingered for a long while, sitting on the wooden veranda, reluctant to leave.

It is only a couple of hours from Seoul, so if someone were to ask me to recommend a temple worth a day trip, I would suggest Gaesimsa in Seosan without a moment's hesitation. It is not convenient to reach without a car, but it is not so far away, and it retains every quality that a great temple should possess — untouched, as yet, by the encroachments of the modern world. My sincere hope is that it will never be diminished by an excess of visitors or the disruptions of over-zealous construction, and that Gaesimsa will go on preserving its beautiful form for many years to come.

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

 

 

Janggoksa Temple, Cheongyang, South Korea

Janggoksa Temple, Cheongyang, South Korea

241, Janggok-gil, Daechi-myeon, Cheongyang-gun, Chungcheongnam-do, Republic of Korea

In Cheongyang County, South Chungcheong Province, there is a mountain called Chilgapsan — a name made famous largely thanks to a popular folk song. And nestled within Chilgapsan is Janggoksa, a venerable temple with a history of over a thousand years. A subsidiary temple of Magoksa, the head temple of the sixth district of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, Janggoksa is not widely known among the general public. It possesses a number of distinctive charms, yet it cannot be said to offer any single standout attraction. According to tradition, the temple was founded in 850 — the twelfth year of King Munseong of Silla — by the Seon master Chejing, known posthumously as Bojo. It underwent reconstruction on several occasions thereafter, though no records of those intervening histories have come down to us.

With the exception of two of its halls, the surviving structures at Janggoksa were rebuilt or reconstructed in the modern era. What makes the temple particularly unusual is its layout: the precinct is divided vertically along a steep incline, with two separate main halls — two Daeungjeons — positioned one above the other. The upper Daeungjeon is designated Treasure No. 162, and the lower Daeungjeon is designated Treasure No. 181. Why this arrangement came to be is impossible to say with certainty, but the topography of Janggoksa offers little in the way of flat, lateral space. It seems the builders resorted to stacking the structures vertically — a solution found nowhere else in the country. Within the precinct, there also remains National Treasure No. 58: a seated iron Medicine Buddha, or Yaksa Yeorae, together with its stone pedestal.

Owing to this vertically cascading layout, the temple becomes a place of extraordinary atmosphere during the autumn foliage season. A gentle hiking trail connects Janggoksa to the summit of Chilgapsan, making it well suited for a leisurely mountain walk. From the summit, the view of the West Sea coast unfolds in a panorama that defies easy description. Janggoksa sits on the far side of Chilgapsan from the town of Cheongyang, which means public transportation is sparse. Unless one carefully plans around the few buses that run each day, a taxi is virtually the only option. It is not a famous destination, and visitor numbers remain modest, so there is no ticket booth to speak of — the grounds are quiet, unhurried, and still.

A temple of just the right size — neither too large nor too small. Cultural heritage of several centuries standing, not so renowned as to be overwhelming, yet impossible to dismiss. A precinct so hushed it feels as though no one else exists in the world. Natural scenery at one with the gentle contours of the surrounding mountains. All of this together makes Janggoksa an ideal setting for the kind of quiet, unassuming journey that asks nothing of you. After taking in the full grounds, I walked a good while back down to the bus stop. Here too, as in Oesan Township near Muryangsa in Buyeo, a small and modest rural village stretches out along the way. Dogs bark from here and there among the houses, and the figures of elderly villagers appear at intervals along the road. Perhaps it is simply because I am Korean, but this kind of scene — one that could not be found quite like this anywhere else in the world — never fails to put me at ease, no matter how many times I encounter it.

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

Muryangsa Temple, Buyeo, South Korea

Muryangsa Temple, Buyeo, South Korea

203, Muryang-ro, Oesan-myeon, Buyeo-gun, Chungcheongnam-do, Republic of Korea

The first thing that struck me upon my visit to Muryangsa Temple was the traces left behind by Kim Siseup, the author of Geumo Sinhwa (New Tales from Gold Turtle Mountain). Known as one of the most brilliant minds of the reign of King Sejong in the early Joseon Dynasty, Kim Siseup — who went by the pen name Maeywoldang — was a wandering scholar who spent his life roaming the country after the traumatic coup of 1453, in which Prince Suyang seized the throne from the young king Danjong in what became known as the Gyeyujeongnan. Through his years of restless wandering, he left his mark in many places and produced a remarkable body of written work. In his final years, Kim Siseup entered Muryangsa Temple, where he passed away, leaving behind a portrait and a memorial stupa. Muryangsa is nestled at the foot of Mansusan Mountain in Buyeo County, South Chungcheong Province. It is not a particularly well-known tourist destination, and the surrounding area is largely free of commercial development, but the roughly two-kilometer stretch from the Oesan Township Office to the temple entrance unfolds as a quietly beautiful rural landscape.

Oesan Township lies along the road connecting Buyeo to Daecheon, and as such it has an intercity bus stop. From that stop, one can walk this neither-too-short-nor-too-long path at a leisurely pace and step into the temple grounds, where National Treasure No. 356 — the Geungnakjeon, or Hall of Paradise — comes into view. A two-story wooden Buddhist hall of rare design, it is a timber-framed structure of incomparable beauty. No precise records survive, but it is said that the temple was founded in the ninth century by the Venerable Beomil and that the great late-Silla monk Master Muyeom once resided here; it appears to have undergone major reconstruction during the Goryeo period. The five-story stone pagoda designated Treasure No. 185 and the stone lantern designated Treasure No. 233, both within the temple grounds, are believed to date from that same era.

Muryangsa was burned to the ground during the Japanese invasion of 1592 and was extensively rebuilt in the early seventeenth century; the main hall, Geungnakjeon, is the wooden structure erected during that period of reconstruction. The first floor spans five bays across the front and four bays along the sides, while the second floor is three bays by two — a double-story, hip-and-gable roof construction. The interior is open from floor to ceiling, with no division between the two levels. A two-story hall is an uncommon sight in ordinary Buddhist temples, yet it does not possess the imposing grandeur of the Mireukjeon at Geumsansa Temple. It feels, rather, like precisely the right scale for Muryangsa — no more, no less. Thanks to the double-story Geungnakjeon, the temple precinct, which might otherwise feel sparse and open, achieves a sense of vertical balance.

Perhaps owing to the lingering presence of Kim Siseup, the atmosphere within the temple grounds is one of stern solemnity. For reasons difficult to name, a quietly somber quality permeates the space, lending it a heavy, abiding gravity. The path leading straight from the Sacheongwangmun — the Gate of the Four Heavenly Kings — is interrupted by the five-story stone pagoda before continuing to the foot of the two-story Geungnakjeon. The various halls, large and small, are arranged around this central axis, and as is the case with most Buddhist temples, their placement in harmony with the surrounding natural terrain feels like nothing less than the most fitting choice possible.

There are no notable amenities in the vicinity, only the ordinary scenery of a farming village — and yet this is, perhaps, precisely what makes Muryangsa so compelling. There is nothing especially spectacular here, and the historical records are far from complete, but Muryangsa Temple on Mansusan Mountain in Buyeo, where the spirit of Kim Siseup seems to breathe still, is a place I would urge every traveler to visit at least once.

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

 

 

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.

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

 

Gapsa Temple, Gongju, South Korea

Gapsa Temple, Gongju, South Korea

451-33, Gapsa-ro, Gyeryong-myeon, Gongju-si, Chungcheongnam-do, Republic of Korea

Mention Gapsa Temple on Gyeryongsan Mountain, and the mind naturally turns to Donghaksa — and equally, mention Donghaksa, and Gapsa comes to mind in return. These two celebrated temples on Gyeryongsan occupy valleys on directly opposite sides of the mountain, with Cheonhwangbong Peak rising between them. Donghaksa lies closer to the city of Daejeon, while Gapsa falls on the Gongju side. Donghaksa, for all its history and reputation, is a surprisingly small and intimate temple; Gapsa, by contrast, is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful temples in Korea, holding its own against any in the country. It is especially famous for its autumn foliage, celebrated in the traditional saying "Magoкsa in spring, Gapsa in autumn."

Gyeryongsan straddles the central heartland of Korea, spanning the South Chungcheong Province cities of Daejeon and Gongju, and is not by nature a particularly rugged or remote mountain. Yet Gapsa is positioned, somewhat surprisingly, in such a way that the full drama of the mountain's ridgelines and peaks can be taken in at a single glance. Standing in the courtyard of the Daeungjeon and looking straight ahead, the summits of Gyeryongsan fill the entire frame — a defining characteristic of how the temple complex has been laid out. The effect is almost as if the mountain itself had been arranged as a folding screen backdrop for the temple forecourt.

Gapsa is said to have been founded in 420 CE, the first year of Baekje King Guishin's reign, by the Goguryeo monk Ado Hwasang, and was subsequently rebuilt in 556 CE, the third year of King Wideok's reign, by the monk Hyemyeon. During the Unified Silla period, the great monk Uisang undertook a sweeping reconstruction, adding over a thousand bays of halls and establishing the temple as a center of Hwaeom Buddhist study — one of the ten great Hwaeom temples of the era. Further rounds of reconstruction followed over the centuries, sustaining the temple's lineage through to the present. During the Joseon dynasty, a great number of halls were lost to fire in the second phase of the Japanese invasions in 1597, and large-scale restorations were carried out in 1604 and again in 1654. The Daeungjeon and the Jinhaedang were most recently restored in 1875, the twelfth year of King Gojong's reign, and the temple has continued in that form to this day.

Situated at the starting point of the hiking route that crosses Gyeryongsan from Donghaksa over Cheonhwangbong Peak and down to Gapsa, the temple is well served by buses from both Gongju and Daejeon, making it unusually easy to reach. Perhaps as a result, even on a weekday the atmosphere is not the hushed stillness one expects of most historic temples, but rather something more lively — a steady flow of hikers passing through, coming and going with energy and purpose. Gapsa is a temple I feel compelled to return to in autumn. Neither too large nor too small, it is a beautifully proportioned place that continues to draw a steady stream of visitors throughout the year.

Gapsa holds, as one would expect, several cultural artifacts of significant importance. The first among them is the Gapsa Stupa — a Goryeo-period work and one of the finest surviving examples of its kind, in a country where relatively few Goryeo stupas remain. The identity of the monk it commemorates is not precisely known, but the stupa is currently designated National Treasure No. 257. The second is the woodblock-printed edition of the Worinseokbo, designated Treasure No. 582. A compilation of the Worin Cheongang Ji Gok and the Seokbo Sangjeol, the Worinseokbo was assembled in 1459, the fifth year of King Sejo's reign, as a Buddhist canonical text recording the life and chronology of Shakyamuni Buddha. The copy preserved at Gapsa is the only surviving edition remaining in Korea today.

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