Hwagyesa Temple

Hwagyesa is a Jogye Order temple on the south-eastern slopes of Bukhansan, just above the houses of Suyu-dong in Gangbuk-gu, Seoul. You can walk there from a metro station, yet the temple is wrapped in forest and a mountain stream. In 1933 Korean linguists stayed here to finalise the Unified Hangeul Spelling System, and thanks to the international Seon centre started by Master Seung Sahn it is also known as a temple where foreign monks practise.

From Bodeogam to Hwagyesa

The temple traces its roots to Bodeogam, a hermitage built at Buheo-dong on Samgaksan in the reign of Goryeo's King Gwangjong (949–975) by the monk Tanmun. In 1522, under King Jungjong, the monk Sinwol moved it to its present site, enlarged it and named it Hwagyesa. A great fire in 1618 destroyed every building; the temple was rebuilt and then substantially restored in 1866 with donations from the Heungseon Daewongun. A legend says the Daewongun, as a young man, was told at Hwagyesa to move his father's grave, did so, and later saw his son become King Gojong.

The temple sits where the Kalbawi ridge ends on the south-eastern side of Samgaksan, the core of Bukhansan. Only a few steps above the houses, the sound of the stream and the forest close in around it, and that contrast is much of its charm.

A temple that shaped Korean spelling

In 1933 the Korean Language Society sent nine linguists, among them Yi Hui-seung and Choe Hyeon-bae, to stay at Hwagyesa while they completed the unified spelling rules for Hangeul. The groundwork for the spelling Koreans use today was polished in this mountain temple, at a time when setting standards for the Korean language under Japanese rule was a quiet act of resistance.

A centre for international practice

Hwagyesa is the birthplace of the international Seon centre founded by Master Seung Sahn, who did much to spread Korean Seon Buddhism abroad. Thanks to him, monks and practitioners from many countries still meditate here. There are daily late-morning services, a family dharma meeting on Sundays and a Buddhist college, opened in 2002, where many lay Buddhists study every year. Treat it as a living place of practice rather than just a sight.

What to see

• Daeungjeon (Main Hall): rebuilt in 1870, three bays by three, with a hipped-and-gabled roof and dense bracket sets between the columns as well as on them. Its ceiling decoration is typical of late Joseon, and the hall is a Seoul-designated cultural heritage.
• Ksitigarbha triad and Ten Kings in Myeongbujeon: a set of 25 wooden figures made in 1649, including Ksitigarbha, his two attendants, the Ten Kings, judges and messengers, designated a Treasure. Look for the high, sharply ridged noses typical of the sculptor's style.
• Bronze bell: cast in 1683 by Sain, a monk-craftsman of King Sukjong's reign, with two dragons forming the hanging loop; also a Treasure.
• Other halls: Daejeokgwangjeon, the Maitreya hall, the hall of a thousand Buddhas and five hundred arhats, Bohwaru pavilion and Samseonggak fill the grounds. A seated wooden Avalokitesvara, a large hanging scroll painting and the paintings of Myeongbujeon are among many late-Joseon pieces designated by the city of Seoul.

Tripto tips

• Visiting: open every day; the grounds are listed as open 08:00–18:00. Entry is free. During services, keep quiet inside the halls. Templestay programmes are available.
• Getting there: from Hwagye Station on the Ui LRT it is about 900 m in a straight line to the temple, from Suyu Station (Line 4) about 1.7 km. The last stretch is uphill, so wear comfortable shoes.
• Time needed: around 1 hour for the temple; add a walk on the Bukhansan slopes for a half-day outing.
• Seasons: autumn colours behind the temple and the fresh green of early summer are the nicest times.