Gwangdeoksa Temple

On the slopes of Gwangdeoksan (699 m) south of Cheonan, this temple is said to be where walnuts were first grown in Korea. A nearly 400-year-old walnut tree, a protected Natural Monument, stands before the steps to the main hall, and treasures such as late-Goryeo sutra manuscripts and a royal decree from the Joseon court have come down from here. It is just over an hour from central Cheonan and pairs well with a hike up Gwangdeoksan.

The temple where the first walnuts were planted

The temple's own records say it was founded in 832, in the seventh year of King Heungdeok of Silla, by the monk Jinsan, though another tradition credits the monk Jajang in 643. It was rebuilt in 1334 under Goryeo and restored several times during the Joseon period. A decree issued by King Sejo exempting the temple's people from labour duty survives and is now a designated Treasure.

What makes Gwangdeoksa special is its walnut tree. According to tradition, in 1290, the 16th year of King Chungnyeol of Goryeo, the official Yu Cheong-sin returned from the Yuan court with walnut seedlings and nuts; he planted the seedlings at Gwangdeoksa and the nuts in the garden of his family home. Whether today's tree is one of those seedlings is uncertain, but a stone in front of it marks the spot as the place where walnuts were first planted. Walnut trees are still common around Gwangdeok-myeon, a natural link to Cheonan's famous walnut cakes.

What to see in the temple grounds

• The walnut tree (Natural Monument): 18.2 m tall, splitting into two trunks 60 cm above the ground. In autumn the branches are heavy with nuts.
• Three-storey stone pagoda: in the courtyard before the main hall, with a locked door carved on the first-storey body stone. It follows Unified Silla style but is thought to date from early Goryeo.
• Stone lions: a pair guarding either side of the main hall steps, their faces softened by centuries of wind and rain.
• Daeungjeon and Cheonbuljeon: both halls are listed heritage of South Chungcheong; Cheonbuljeon, as its name says, is the Hall of a Thousand Buddhas.
• Temple treasures: a late-Goryeo Lotus Sutra copied in silver ink, Joseon-era sutra manuscripts and a large hanging painting of Vairocana Buddha belong to the temple. Most of them are not on permanent display.

Walking on Gwangdeoksan

Gwangdeoksan, rising behind the temple, is 699 m high, just 1 m short of 700. It spans Gwangdeok-myeon in Cheonan and Songak-myeon in Asan and was once called Taehwasan. The name Gwangdeoksan first appears in the Annals of King Sejo and carries the Buddhist idea of spreading virtue widely. On the Cheonan side the trail starts at Gwangdeoksa and climbs long wooden staircases past a pavilion and a helipad to the summit. Many hikers come down by the gentler Janggunbawi path, and in summer the shadier Asan side with its streams is popular too.

Tripto tips

• Visiting: the grounds are open 04:00–18:00 and entry is free. Please keep quiet inside the halls during services.
• Time needed: 40 minutes to an hour for the temple. The trail beside it to the summit of Gwangdeoksan takes about 3 hours return and is steep, with long flights of wooden steps.
• When to go: September, when the walnuts ripen, and late October to early November for autumn colour in the valley. In summer the stream below the temple is pleasantly cool.
• Getting there: city buses towards Gwangdeoksa run from Cheonan Station and Cheonan Bus Terminal and take around an hour; check route numbers and times on the Cheonan bus information system. Drivers can use the car park below the temple.