Daeheungsa Temple

Down in Haenam, at the southern tip of the Korean peninsula, a long forest path follows a valley of Duryunsan to a spacious temple ringed by peaks. Daeheungsa is where the robe and bowl of Seosan Daesa, the monk who led warrior monks in the Imjin War, were handed down, and where the monk Choui revived Korean tea culture. In 2018 it became one of the seven temples inscribed as the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Sansa, Buddhist Mountain Monasteries in Korea".

History: from legend to the centre of Seosan's lineage

Records disagree on its founding. One says the Silla monk Jeonggwan built it in 426; another tradition credits the monk Ado in 544 (the 22nd year of King Seong of Baekje). Its old name was Daedunsa: as the mountain's name changed from Handeumsan to Daedunsan and then Duryunsan, the temple's name changed with it.

Its rise came after the Imjin War. When Seosan Daesa's robe and bowl were entrusted here, Daeheungsa became the head temple of his lineage in the 17th and 18th centuries, a great centre for both meditation and doctrinal study. The headquarters of the monk army in the Imjin War is also said to have been here. In the late Joseon period the monk Choui built Iljiam hermitage in a valley above the temple and spent some 40 years there alone, developing the idea that tea and Seon (Zen) are one; that is why Daeheungsa is called the birthplace of Korea's tea culture.

Designated a Scenic Site in 1975, it became a Historic Site in 2009. The grounds hold 12 nationally designated and 9 provincially designated heritage items.

What to see

• Forest path and One Pillar Gate: the long wooded approach from the ticket office is your first impression of Daeheungsa. One of the gate signboards still carries the old name, Daedunsa.
• Stupa field: close to the temple, the stupas and steles of eminent monks, including the Thirteen Great Masters and Thirteen Great Lecturers, stand together. The Stupa of Seosan Daesa, thought to date from around 1648, is a Treasure.
• Seosan Daesa Relics Hall and Pyochungsa: relics include jade and jadeite bowls given by King Seonjo, Seosan Daesa's calligraphy, palanquin and shoes, and sutras written in gold and silver. Pyochungsa is the shrine honouring him.
• Cheonbuljeon: the Hall of a Thousand Buddhas, a Treasure.
• Three-storey stone pagoda: about 4.3 m tall, in front of Eungjinjeon Hall, a Treasure.
• Rock-carved seated Buddha at Bungmireugam: carved in high relief on a rock at Bungmireugam hermitage up the mountain in the Goryeo period, and a National Treasure. Rarely, it includes celestial beings making offerings beside the Buddha.

Good to know

For more than 90 years the temple grounds were home to Yuseongwan, a hanok inn that became famous after appearing on a TV variety show, though running a business inside a provincial park was controversial. Iljiam is still a place tea lovers make a point of climbing to.

Nearby

• Duryunsan Cable Car: close to Daeheungsa, a way to enjoy the Duryunsan ridge views without a long hike.
• Daeheungsa Valley: the stream along the forest approach, cool in summer.
• Cheonghaejin Site, Wando: the remains of Jang Bogo's maritime trading base, about 17 km away.

Tripto tips

• Admission: free. There is a car park and cards are accepted.
• Guides: cultural tourism guides can be arranged through the Ttangkkeut Tourist Information Centre (061-532-3883).
• Hiking: a loop from Daeheungsa via Bugam, Cheonnyeonsu (the Manilam site), Manil Pass, the Duryunbong cloud bridge, Jinburam and Pyochungsa takes about 4 hours; the Bungmireugam Buddha lies on this route.
• Time needed: 1.5 hours for the temple, 2–3 hours with Iljiam, half a day or more if you hike.