Bogyeongsa Temple

Bogyeongsa sits at the foot of Naeyeonsan Mountain in the north of Pohang and is the largest temple in the city. Its name means "temple of the precious mirror", and it comes from a founding legend about a mirror buried in the ground. From the temple grounds a well-kept trail follows the valley to the 12 waterfalls of Naeyeonsan, so the temple and a waterfall walk fit nicely into half a day.

The temple of the buried mirror

According to legend, in 603, under King Jinpyeong of Silla, the monk Jimyeong returned from studying in China with an eight-sided mirror, the Palmyeon Bogyeong. He had been told that if he buried it in an auspicious spot on the east coast, it would keep Japanese raiders away and help unify the Three Kingdoms. The temple built over the mirror's resting place was named Bogyeongsa. Under King Gojong of Goryeo, the National Preceptor Wonjin became abbot and rebuilt the temple on a larger scale; later restorations turned it into a large monastery with several hermitages. Today it is a branch temple of Bulguksa, head temple of the 11th district of the Jogye Order.

What to see

• Jeokgwangjeon Hall: the hall of Vairocana Buddha, designated a Treasure. Look for the wooden lions carved beside its pillars; there are more wooden lions at the entrance of the Cheonwangmun Gate.
• Five-story stone pagoda: in front of Jeokgwangjeon, said to date from the reign of King Hyeonjong of Goryeo.
• Stele of National Preceptor Wonjin: the memorial stele of the monk who rebuilt the temple, opposite the main Daeungjeon Hall. "Wonjin" is the posthumous title King Gojong gave him.
• Stupa: Wonjin's stupa, holding his relics, stands on a slope behind the temple, a short uphill walk from the main courtyard.
• Trifoliate orange trees: two old trees face each other to the right of Cheonwangmun Gate and are a provincial monument.

Bogyeongsa holds five Treasures in total. Besides the hall, the stele and the stupa, these are the bronze bell of Seounam Hermitage, cast under King Sukjong of Joseon, and a large hanging Buddhist painting brought out for major ceremonies.

On to the 12 waterfalls

The valley behind Bogyeongsa runs for about 10 km and holds 12 waterfalls one after another. The first, Sangsaeng Falls, is about 1.5 km from the temple on an easy, well-maintained path that is fine in trainers. If you want more, continue to the well-known Gwaneum Falls and Yeonsan Falls. A cave opens in the rock wall beside Gwaneum Falls, and a suspension bridge above Yeonsan Falls gives you a view down into the gorge.

There is a reason the falls come one after another. The valley rock is tuff, volcanic ash that hardened in the Cretaceous period. As the ash cooled it shrank and cracked into closely spaced joints; water seeping into them froze and thawed again and again, prising off blocks and leaving stepped cliffs with waterfalls pouring over them. The falling water has also scoured deep, round plunge pools into the streambed, and the pool below Sangsaeng Falls shows the process clearly. This landscape makes the Naeyeonsan valley one of the key sites of the Gyeongbuk East Coast National Geopark.

Waterfalls painted by Jeong Seon

Jeong Seon (pen name Gyeomjae), the master of "true-view" landscape painting, served as magistrate of Cheongha county, which included this area, from 1733 to 1735. During that time he painted the Naeyeonsan falls several times, including Three Dragon Pools of Naeyeon, and a rock near Yeonsan Falls is said to bear the carved words "Jeong Seon, autumn of the gapin year", that is, 1734. Picturing his compositions as you stand before the falls is part of the pleasure of this walk.

Tripto tips

• Time: allow about 1 hour for the temple alone. The round trip to Sangsaeng Falls adds another hour; for Gwaneum and Yeonsan Falls, plan around 4 hours including the temple.
• Opening and fees: the grounds are open 06:00–18:00. There is no admission or parking fee for the temple and the waterfall valley (as of 2026).
• Best time: the falls are fullest in summer, and the valley foliage peaks from late October to early November. Summer weekends get busy, so arrive early in the morning.
• Getting there: the nearest railway station is Wolpo on the Donghae Line, and city buses run from central Pohang and Pohang Station to the Bogyeongsa terminus; check the current route number on Pohang's bus information service. By car, the Bukpohang IC on the Donghae Expressway is the closest exit.
• Food: a row of restaurants lines the road to the temple gate, handy after a hike.