Bongjeongsa Temple

Bongjeongsa sits on the slopes of Cheondeungsan in Andong, North Gyeongsang, and is home to Geungnakjeon, regarded as the oldest wooden building in Korea. Both Geungnakjeon and the main hall, Daeungjeon, are National Treasures, and in 2018 the temple was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as one of the "Sansa, Buddhist Mountain Monasteries in Korea". It is not large, but it lets you compare Goryeo and early Joseon architecture side by side.

History: the temple of Master Neungin

Tradition says Bongjeongsa was founded in 672 (the 12th year of King Munmu of Silla) by Master Neungin. Another account credits the monk Uisang, but records such as the beam inscription found in Geungnakjeon suggest it was founded in the late 7th century by Neungin, one of Uisang's disciples.

The key discovery came during repairs to Geungnakjeon in 1972: a beam inscription recording a major roof repair in 1363, the 12th year of King Gongmin of Goryeo. Traditional timber buildings usually need their roofs rebuilt 100 to 150 years after construction, so the hall is thought to date from the early 1200s. This is why Geungnakjeon is known as the oldest wooden building in Korea. In 1999 Queen Elizabeth II visited the temple during her trip to Andong.

What to see

• Geungnakjeon (National Treasure): originally called Daejangjeon. It is three bays wide and four deep under a simple gabled roof. Its columns swell slightly in the middle, and the brackets sit only on top of the columns (the jusimpo style), following Unified Silla tradition. Inside, an ornate canopy hangs above the Buddha, and the side of the altar is carved with vine scrolls like those on Goryeo ceramics.
• Three-storey stone pagoda: 3.18 m tall, standing in front of Geungnakjeon and thought to date from Goryeo.
• Daeungjeon (National Treasure): dated to the early Joseon period on the basis of records found when it was dismantled and repaired in 1962. It has brackets between the columns as well (dapo style), a hipped-and-gabled roof and, unusually, a wooden veranda along the front. It was upgraded from Treasure to National Treasure in 2009, and old paintwork survives well inside. Inside, Shakyamuni Buddha sits in the centre flanked by his disciples Kasyapa and Ananda. On either side of the steps stand the stone posts once used to hang large Buddhist paintings for outdoor ceremonies.
• Hwaeom Gangdang and Gogeumdang (Treasures): mid-Joseon buildings; an inscription found in Hwaeom Gangdang records repairs in 1588.
• Manseru: the pavilion on the way up to the main hall, built under King Sukjong.
• Yeongsanam: a small hermitage belonging to the temple. Yeongsan refers to Vulture Peak in India, where the Buddha is said to have preached the Lotus Sutra. Its buildings are arranged around a compact courtyard.

Tripto tips

• Address: 222 Bongjeongsa-gil, Seohu-myeon, Andong. It is some way out of the city centre, so a car or taxi is easiest.
• Visiting: walking slowly from the One-Pillar Gate past Manseru to Daeungjeon, Geungnakjeon and Yeongsanam takes 1–2 hours. The courtyards of Geungnakjeon and Daeungjeon lie side by side, so you can go back and forth to compare the two periods.
• Etiquette: monks still live and practise here. Move quietly in the halls and do not take photos inside.
• Combine with: Hahoe Folk Village and Byeongsan Seowon in Andong make a good day together.