Heungguksa Temple (Goyang)

On the slopes of Hanmisan, on the western edge of Bukhansan in Jichuk-dong, Goyang, stands a temple whose story begins with the great monk Wonhyo and takes a turn when King Yeongjo spent a snowy night here. That night made it a royal prayer temple and even changed its name. Although it borders Eunpyeong in Seoul, the surrounding hills are a military protection zone, so the woods around it are quiet and little disturbed.

Wonhyo's Medicine Buddha and Yeongjo's snowy night

The temple traces its founding to 661, under King Munmu of Silla. The story goes that Wonhyo, practising on Bukhansan, followed an auspicious light down the mountain, found a stone statue of the Medicine Buddha and built a hermitage, predicting that many sages would come from this place. Its original name is given as Heungseongam or Heungseoam, depending on the source.

Little is recorded after that until a major rebuilding in 1686. The turning point came in 1770, when King Yeongjo, on his way to Soryeongwon, the tomb of his mother Lady Choe, was caught in heavy snow, stayed a night here and wrote a poem the next morning. The temple then became the prayer temple for his mother, its name was changed to Heungguksa, and the hill, until then called Nogosan, was renamed Hanmisan. Monks rebuilt the temple again in 1785, and in 1867, under King Gojong, the Medicine Buddha Hall was rebuilt with funds from the royal purse. A Seven Stars shrine followed in 1876. Yeongjo's poem survives to this day, carved on a stone tablet.

What to see

• Yaksajeon: the main hall, dedicated to the Medicine Buddha who heals illness. It is only three bays wide, but the lotus and dragon-head carvings inside and out are richly decorated. The painting behind the altar, dated 1792, is a scene of the Buddha preaching on Vulture Peak by the master painter-monk Sanghun; an inscription at the bottom records the date and the painters' names.
• Daebang: a modern-era composite hall that brings a space for chanting practice, a pavilion, monks' quarters and a kitchen under one roof. Its unusual layout earned it registration as national cultural heritage in 2014.
• Buddhist paintings: a painting that divides the Pure Land into nine scenes and a large hanging banner painting from the early 20th century are Gyeonggi provincial heritage, examples of the split-panel style popular around Seoul in the late 19th century.
• Nahanjeon and the wooden Amitabha: also look for the arhat hall, converted from the former Seven Stars shrine, and a small wooden Amitabha Buddha from the early 18th century.

Tripto tips

• Hours and tickets: the grounds are open all year and admission is free. The temple also runs a temple stay programme.
• Time needed: 40 minutes to 1 hour to see the halls and paintings without rushing.
• Getting there: about 3 km in a straight line from Jichuk Station (Line 3), so a taxi or car is easiest. The address is 82 Heungguksa-gil, Deogyang-gu, Goyang, and there is parking at the temple.
• Best time: late October to early November for autumn colours, and around Buddha's Birthday when the lanterns go up.
• Etiquette: no flash for the paintings and statues inside the halls, and during services watch quietly from outside. Hanmisan behind the temple is a military protection zone closed to the public, so keep to the temple grounds.