Geumsansa Temple

Geumsansa is a large temple on the slopes of Moaksan in Gimje, North Jeolla. It is said to have been founded around 599 under the Baekje kingdom and became famous as a centre of devotion to Maitreya, the Buddha of the future. Its huge Mireukjeon Hall, three storeys outside and one open space inside, holds a Maitreya statue 11.82 m tall, on a scale you rarely see at other temples.

History: a sanctuary of Maitreya faith

According to the temple chronicle Geumsansa Sajeok, King Beop of Baekje banned the killing of living things and the following year ordained 38 monks at Geumsansa. Sources differ on the founding year, giving 599 or 600. In 766, under Unified Silla, the master Jinpyo rebuilt the temple on a grand scale and made it the main centre of Maitreya worship.

Records say that in 935 Gyeon Hwon, founder of Later Baekje, was overthrown by his son Singeom and confined here. The royal preceptor Hyedeok greatly enlarged the temple in 1079, and during the Japanese invasions of the 1590s the monk Cheoyeong gathered monk-soldiers here. After the temple burned during the second invasion, Mireukjeon and other halls were rebuilt around 1635. Much of what you see today was newly built or dismantled and restored from the 1960s onwards.

What to see

• Mireukjeon Hall (National Treasure): A three-storey wooden hall with name boards reading Daejabojeon, Yonghwajihoe and Mireukjeon on its three levels. Inside it is one soaring space, and its tallest pillar is made of several pieces of timber joined together rather than a single trunk. The lower two storeys are five bays wide, the top storey three.
• Maitreya triad: The central Maitreya stands 11.82 m tall and the two attendant bodhisattvas 8.8 m. It is described as one of the largest indoor standing Buddha statues in the world. A story says a great iron cauldron is hidden beneath the altar, which has inspired many interpretations.
• Bangdeung Platform and five-storey pagoda (Treasures): On the slope beside Mireukjeon, a platform enshrining relics of the Buddha stands next to a five-storey stone pagoda.
• Noju and Seongnyeondae (Treasures): An early Goryeo stone object whose purpose is still unclear, and a carved lotus pedestal whose statue has long been lost.
• Hexagonal pagoda and flagpole supports (Treasures): Treasures are scattered across the grounds, with more than ten items of national heritage in all.

Jinpyo's vision and later stories

According to tradition, after long ascetic practice Jinpyo had a vision of the bodhisattva Maitreya and received two books of divination and 189 divination sticks, after which he made a statue of Maitreya for the main hall. This is seen as the starting point of Geumsansa's role as the centre of Maitreya worship.

The temple still drew great crowds in the late Joseon period. When the monk Hwanseong Jian held a great Hwaeom dharma assembly here in 1725, more than 1,400 people came, and the alarmed court exiled him to Jeju. More recently, in 1986, Daejeokgwangjeon Hall burned down in a fire of unknown cause and was rebuilt in its original form from 1988. A memorial hall built in 1999 for the temple's 1,400th anniversary hosts cultural events, and the temple served as a filming location for the KBS historical drama Taejo Wang Geon.

Tripto tips

• When: In spring, the cherry blossom avenue leading up to the temple is famous. Even in winter, devotees walk around the pagoda in front of Mireukjeon.
• Opening: Listed as 06:00–19:00 in summer and 06:00–18:00 in winter. Entrance fee policies can change, so check before you go.
• Time: 1–2 hours for the temple, a full day if you also hike Moaksan.
• Templestay: Programmes are offered for Korean and international guests.
• Combine with: The temple sits at the entrance to Moaksan Provincial Park, so trails start right here. Jeonju Hanok Village is not far away.