Bongwonsa Temple

A short climb from the Sinchon university district towards Ansan brings you to Bongwonsa, a temple with more than a thousand years of history. It is the head temple of the Taego Order of Korean Buddhism and the guardian of Yeongsanjae, a ritual on UNESCO's intangible heritage list. In the middle of the city you can wander quietly between a large main hall and a hall of three thousand Buddhas.

History: from a palace site to the slopes of Ansan

Tradition says the monk Doseon founded the temple in 889 at the end of Silla, under the name Banyasa. It was enlarged by the monk Bou in late Goryeo, and King Taejo, founder of Joseon, enshrined a Buddha triad here; after his death his royal portrait was kept at the temple. Bongwonsa originally stood on the site of Yeonhuigung, where Yonsei University is today, and moved to its present location in 1748, when King Yeongjo wrote its name board himself. Believers therefore also called it Saejeol, "the new temple".

In the late 19th century the reformist monk Yi Dong-in stayed here and met young progressives such as Kim Ok-gyun, Park Yeong-hyo and Seo Gwang-beom, earning the temple a reputation as the cradle of the 1884 Gapsin Coup. Yeongjo's name board and relics of the reformers were lost to fire during the war in 1950. The main hall burned down in 1991, was rebuilt in 1994, and the Hall of Three Thousand Buddhas was completed the same year.

What to see

• Daeungjeon: the main hall rebuilt in 1994, facing a broad courtyard and stone pagoda.
• Samcheonbuljeon: a hall whose walls are lined with countless small Buddha figures.
• Yeombuldang: said to be a building moved from Asojeong, the villa of the Heungseon Daewongun, and rebuilt here in 1966.
• Amitabha banner painting and temple bell: listed as Seoul tangible cultural heritage.
• Dancheong: the monk Lee Man-bong, a master of traditional decorative painting, trained students here. Look up at the painted eaves.

Good to know

• Yeongsanjae re-enacts the Buddha preaching the Lotus Sutra on Vulture Peak and was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2009. Bongwonsa usually holds the main ceremony, with Buddhist chant and ritual dances, in early June.
• The temple hosts the society that preserves Yeongsanjae and a school teaching Buddhist chant.
• Under King Jeongjo the temple was important enough to host the office charged with enforcing discipline among monks across all eight provinces.
• The name board of the Hall of Judgement is said to be in the hand of Jeong Do-jeon, a founding statesman of Joseon.

Nearby

• Ansan: forest trails climb straight from behind the temple.
• Seodaemun Prison History Hall: about 1 km away on the far side of Ansan near Independence Gate.

Tripto tips

• Visiting: open 05:00–18:00, free admission, with parking.
• Getting there: walk up Bongwonsa-gil from the Sinchon and Ewha area. The road is uphill all the way, so a taxi is a good alternative if you are carrying luggage.
• When to go: if you want to see Yeongsanjae, check the early-June date on the temple website.
• Etiquette: avoid taking photos inside halls during services and keep your voice down. Allow 40 minutes to 1 hour.