Gwanchoksa Temple

On the eastern slope of Banyasan in Nonsan, Gwanchoksa is home to the Stone Standing Maitreya Bodhisattva, often called the largest stone Buddha statue in Korea. About 18 m tall and nicknamed Eunjin Mireuk after the area's old name, it is hard to forget, with its huge head and hands and a body stacked up like a column. It was designated a National Treasure in 2018.

A Maitreya that shone like a candle

Gwanchoksa was founded under King Gwangjong of Goryeo by the monk Hyemyeong. According to an 18th-century temple record, Hyemyeong and about 100 craftsmen worked on the statue from 970 to 1006. Another view, based on ink writing found in the hole for the jewel on its forehead, dates it to around 968. Temple legend says a woman picking ferns on Banyasan followed the sound of a crying child and found a huge rock rising out of the ground; when the court heard of it, Hyemyeong was ordered to carve a Buddha. The temple's name recalls a story that the famous Chinese monk Ji'an, on seeing the statue, said the Maitreya shone like candlelight; gwan means to pour, chok means candle.

Looking closely at Eunjin Mireuk

• Proportions: the head and hands are far too big for the body, a style meant to inspire awe from below rather than to look lifelike. The statue is seen as the model for several giant stone Buddhas raised in the Chungcheong region in the late 10th century.
• Crown: it wears a tall headdress made of two square stone slabs stacked one on the other.
• Body: the body is built from several large stones piled into a cylinder; walk round to the side to see the joints.

More to see

• Stone lantern (Treasure): a Goryeo lantern in front of the statue, its sturdy form matching the Buddha.
• Five-story pagoda and offering stone: together with the lantern they form the worship area in front of the statue.
• Stone gate: an old stone gateway in front of the statue, a provincial heritage site.
• View over the Nonsan plain: from the edge of the statue terrace the wide Nonsan plain spreads out below.
• Yunjangdae: a revolving bookcase filled with scriptures; turning it once is said to equal reading them once, and visitors can give it a spin.
• A temple of woodblocks: Gwanchoksa once kept Buddhist printing blocks carved in 1499, such as Moguja Susimgyeol and Mongsan Beobeo; they were later moved to Haeinsa.
• Upper halls: walk up to the Samseonggak shrine and the other halls above the courtyard to see how the whole temple fits together.

Tripto tips

• Opening: the grounds are open 08:00–20:00, and there is a car park.
• Time: allow 40 minutes to an hour for the statue and grounds. There are quite a few steps, so wear comfortable shoes.
• Best time: clear spring and autumn days give the widest views over the plain. Around Buddha's Birthday the grounds fill with lanterns.
• Getting there: the temple is on the southern edge of Nonsan, about 10 minutes by taxi from Nonsan Station or the bus terminal.
• Combine with: the Tapjeong Lake suspension bridge and Donam Seowon make a good full day in Nonsan.