Cheongpyeongsa Temple

On the slopes of Obongsan north of Soyang Lake in Chuncheon, Cheongpyeongsa is known as "the temple on an island" because the classic way to reach it is by boat from the Soyang Dam landing. First built in 973, it still has the Goryeo Seonwon, a garden laid out by a Goryeo-era recluse in the valley below, and the Hoejeonmun gate, the setting of a famous legend about a lovesick snake.

History: from a recluse's retreat to a great temple

The temple was founded in 973 (24th year of King Gwangjong of Goryeo) by the monk Yeonghyeon under the name Baegam Seonwon. It was later abandoned, rebuilt in 1068 by Yi Ui as Bohyeonwon, and in 1089 his son Yi Ja-hyeon gave up his government post to live here in seclusion, renaming the mountain Cheongpyeong and the temple Munsuwon. A stele recording his life, the Munsuwon-gi, was erected in 1130, destroyed in the Korean War and restored in 2008.

In the Joseon period the scholar Kim Si-seup stayed here, and in 1555 the monk Bou renamed it Cheongpyeongsa and rebuilt most of the halls, making it a major temple. Geungnakjeon burned down in 1947 and many halls were lost in the Korean War; Geungnakbojeon and Samseonggak were rebuilt in 1977 and the main hall in 1988. It belongs to the Jogye Order as a branch temple of Sinheungsa.

What to see

• Hoejeonmun Gate (Treasure): built in place of the usual Four Heavenly Kings gate to teach the idea of rebirth, and important for the study of 16th-century architecture.
• Goryeo Seonwon (Scenic Site): a garden of valley, ponds, flat rocks and waterfalls created by Yi Ja-hyeon. Its pond, Yeongji, was designed to reflect the mountain, and it is presented as some 200 years older than the famous garden of Saihō-ji in Kyoto.
• Gusong Falls: a waterfall about 9 m high on the forest path up to the temple. It is named for nine pine trees around it, and is also called Guseong Falls, "falls of nine sounds".
• Three-storey pagoda and Princess Cave: the pagoda, thought to date from early Goryeo, is also called the Princess Pagoda, and the Princess Cave nearby is where she is said to have stayed.

The legend of the lovesick snake

A young man fell in love with a princess far above his station and was put to death, only to be reborn as a snake that clung to her body. When the princess came to Cheongpyeongsa to pray and spent a night in a cave, the snake let go. But when it tried to follow her into the temple, it was struck by lightning in front of Hoejeonmun and swept away by a downpour. In gratitude, the princess built the three-storey pagoda. Some versions make her a daughter of Emperor Taizong of Tang, others of the Yuan emperor Shundi.

Tripto tips

• Getting there: the boat from the Soyang Dam landing to the Cheongpyeongsa landing takes about 15 minutes. Services and times can change, so check with the operator (033-242-2455) before you go. Drivers can use the temple car park (KRW 1,000 for compact cars, KRW 2,000 for small cars).
• Admission: free. From the landing or car park you walk up the valley to the temple.
• When to go: summer, when the valley is cool, and autumn foliage season are best. Allow 2–3 hours for the valley walk and the temple.