Guryongsa Temple (Wonju)

Follow the forest path of tall red pines up the northern valley of Chiaksan and Guryongsa appears on the slope beside the stream. Two legends overlap in its name: a pond full of dragons and a turtle-shaped rock said to have sapped the temple's strength. Most hikers heading up Chiaksan pass right by, so it makes a natural stop before or after a climb.

History: nine dragons and a turtle rock

According to legend, when the monk Uisang set out to build a temple here in 668, the site of today's main hall was a deep pond where nine dragons lived. The dragons summoned storms and flooded the mountain, so Uisang threw a single talisman into the pond; the water dried up and the dragons fled. The temple was therefore named Guryongsa with the character for "nine" (九龍寺).

In the mid-Joseon period, as the temple declined, an old man is said to have blamed the turtle rock at the entrance and told the monks to cut its energy line. They drilled a hole in the rock's back, but the decline continued, so the name was changed to the character for "turtle" (龜龍寺) to restore the turtle's energy. Temple records also mention a founding by the late-Silla monk Doseon.

A roof tile inscribed with the 45th year of the Kangxi era shows that the temple was rebuilt in 1706. The main hall burned down completely in September 2003, but it was rebuilt in its original form thanks to a detailed survey report made beforehand.

After its founding, eminent monks such as Doseon, Muhak and Hyujeong (Seosan Daesa) stayed here, and Guryongsa long ranked as the leading temple of the Yeongseo region, west of the Taebaek range. In more recent times Bogwangru was dismantled and rebuilt in 1966, followed by repairs to Simgeomdang and the monks' quarters in 1968 and Samseonggak in 1971. Today the main hall is surrounded by Bogwangru, Jeongmukdang, Simgeomdang, Eungjinjeon, Guksadan and the bell pavilion, stepping up the slope of the valley.

What to see

• Bogwangru Pavilion: a two-storey pavilion five bays wide and a Gangwon provincial heritage site. Tradition holds that the straw mat on its upper floor is the largest in Korea.
• Daeungjeon (main hall): rebuilt after the fire, with rich painted decoration and an ornate canopy above the Buddha.
• Sacheonwangmun and Wontongmun gates: the gates you pass through as you climb from the stream to the courtyard.
• Hwangjang Geumpyo: a Joseon-era boundary stone near the entrance that forbade cutting the prized pines, called hwangjangmok, which were reserved for palaces and royal coffins.
• Stupas and dragon pool: a cluster of Joseon-era monks' stupas stands at the entrance, and below the waterfall lies the pool linked to the dragon legend.

Tripto tips

• Access: the temple is open all year and there is no separate admission charge.
• Combine with a hike: continue up the valley to Seryeom Falls, where the trail to Biro Peak, the top of Chiaksan, begins. The short Hwangjangmok forest trail around the temple is also worth a walk.
• Best time: summer, when the stream is cool, and autumn foliage season. In winter the snowy courtyard is wonderfully quiet.
• Time needed: about 1 hour for the temple itself, half a day if you walk on to Seryeom Falls.
• Parking: use the paid national park car park; arrive early in peak season.