Beomeosa Temple

Beomeosa sits on the eastern slopes of Geumjeongsan in Cheongnyong-dong, Geumjeong-gu, Busan. It is the head temple of the 14th District of the Jogye Order and, with Haeinsa in Hapcheon and Tongdosa in Yangsan, is counted among the three great temples of the Yeongnam region. It is reachable by metro and bus, so you can pair a mountain temple with a hike on Geumjeongsan in one day.

History: a golden fish in a mountain well

According to the Samguk Yusa, Beomeosa was founded in 678, the 18th year of Silla's King Munmu, by the monk Uisang, as one of ten temples built to spread Hwaeom Buddhism. The name comes from a legend: a golden fish came down from heaven and played in a well in the rock at the summit, so the mountain was called Geumjeongsan ("golden well mountain") and the temple Beomeosa, "temple of the heavenly fish".

During the Imjin War the temple's monks took up arms themselves, and the temple burned in 1592. In 1993, during detailed measurement of the main hall, an ink inscription was found on a roof beam showing that the hall had been temporarily restored in 1602 and rebuilt in 1658. In 2012 Beomeosa was designated a chongnim, a comprehensive monastic training centre.

What to see

• Jogyemun Gate (Treasure): the one-pillar gate at the entrance. Its short wooden posts stand on tall stone columns, four in a row, an unusual design. The present structure dates from repairs in 1781; it is also called the Gate of Three Liberations, expressing the idea that all teachings lead to one truth.
• Daeungjeon main hall: rebuilt in the 17th century. Unlike most main halls, which enshrine only Shakyamuni, here he is flanked by the bodhisattvas Maitreya and Dipankara. Look closely at the finely carved altar and canopy.
• Three-storey stone pagoda: a late-Silla pagoda about 4 m tall in front of the main hall, unusual for the eye-shaped panels carved into its base.
• Wisteria colony (Natural Monument): in the valley below the temple, wisteria growing from cracks in the rocks winds up pines and hackberries to form a canopy. Sources differ on its size: about 500 or around 6,500 vines. When it blooms purple in late spring, the valley was known as Deungungok, "valley of wisteria clouds".

Good to know

• Home of a Samguk Yusa: Beomeosa owns a copy of the Samguk Yusa designated a National Treasure. It binds volumes 4 and 5 together and was printed in 1394, making it one of the earliest surviving editions.
• A training ground for great monks: Wonhyo, Gyeongheo, Yongseong, Manhae Han Yong-un and Dongsan all practised here. In the 1950s Dongsan led the Buddhist purification movement.
• The 2010 fire: in December 2010 an arsonist burned the Gate of the Heavenly Kings. Fortunately the original guardian statues had already been moved to the temple museum and those in the gate were copies. In 2021 Beomeosa completed a large new museum for its treasures.
• Hermitage walks: Beomeosa has 11 hermitages, including Cheongnyeonam, Naewonam, Gyemyeongam, Daeseongam, Geumgangam and Wonhyoam. The traditional "Eight Views of Geumjeong" include late-autumn foliage at Geumgangam and the evening bell heard from Naewonam.

Tripto tips

• Hours and admission: listed opening hours are 08:00–17:00, and entry is free. There is a car park.
• Getting there: take Busan Metro Line 1 to Beomeosa Station, then bus 90 to near the temple entrance.
• When to go: late spring, when the wisteria blooms, and autumn, for the foliage, are the most beautiful.
• Walk on: trails continue behind the temple to the North Gate of Geumjeongsanseong Fortress and the summit, Godangbong. The temple also runs templestays.
• Time needed: 1–2 hours for the temple grounds; half a day if you hike to the fortress's North Gate.