Haedong Yonggungsa Temple

Haedong Yonggungsa is a Buddhist temple set on the seaside rocks of Sirang-ri in Gijang, on the eastern edge of Busan. Known as the temple closest to the sea, it draws crowds who come to see halls and stone lanterns strung along rocks battered by the waves. Around Buddha's Birthday the whole complex is hung with paper lanterns. It lies about 7 km east of Haeundae Beach, so the two are easy to combine.

History and name

The temple says it was founded in 1376, at the end of the Goryeo period, by the monk Naong Hyegeun, but this claim is disputed and most of today's buildings date from the 1970s onwards. Before the temple was built, the site is recorded as an empty plot used for growing sesame and grazing cattle. Long privately owned, it was registered in 2021 as a branch temple of Hwaeomsa under the Jogye Order. The name comes from a story that the monk Jeongam dreamed of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara rising into the sky on a dragon by the sea. The temple is known as a pilgrimage site of Gwaneum, honouring Haesu Gwaneum Daebul, the great Buddha of Mercy of the sea.

What to see

• Twelve zodiac statues: stone figures of the twelve animals of the Asian zodiac line the approach, and many visitors look for their birth-year animal to take a photo. The twelve zodiac guardians are believed to protect the twelve directions and ward off evil.
• 108 steps: past the main gate, a stairway leads through pine trees; at the end the temple appears above the sea.
• Yongmungyo Bridge: the bridge into the temple grounds, where people throw coins and make a wish.
• Haesu Gwaneum Daebul: climb the steps beside the main hall to stand before the great statue overlooking the sea, the spot with the widest sea view in the temple.
• Sunrise Rock and coastal path: a rock known for sunrise views, and a seaside path that forms part of Haeparang Trail course 1.

Tripto tips

• Opening hours: daily 04:30–19:20, last entry 18:50. Come early in the morning if you want to see the sunrise.
• Getting there: the address is 86 Yonggung-gil, Gijang-eup. From Osiria Station (Donghae Line), exit 1, take bus 139 or express bus 1001 to the "Yonggungsa · National Institute of Fisheries Science" stop, then walk about 15 minutes. The car park charges a fee.
• Etiquette: enter the halls by the side doors, not the central door used by monks, leave your shoes neatly at the entrance and keep your voice down. Pets are allowed in a carrier or with a muzzle.
• Crowds: weekends, public holidays and the days around Buddha's Birthday get very busy on the steps and bridge; weekday mornings are much calmer.
• Nearby: right next door, Sirangdae, the seventh of Gijang's Eight Scenic Views, has rocks carved with its name 侍郞臺 and with old Chinese poems. Gijang County also suggests a history route from the temple to Orangdae, the Jukseong-ri pines and Gijang Fortress. The coastal path also leads to the National Fisheries Science Museum, and the Osiria coastal walk and the Osiria tourist complex, home to Lotte World Adventure Busan, are close by in the same area of Sirang-ri.
• Time needed: allow 1 to 1.5 hours for the temple and the coastal path.