Jogyesa Temple

Jogyesa in the middle of Jongno-gu, Seoul, is the head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. Its main hall and a lacebark pine thought to be around 500 years old stand among office towers, and the grounds are open 24 hours a day, so anyone can drop in at any time, Buddhist or not. It is best known for the lanterns that cover the courtyard around Buddha's Birthday.

History: from Gakhwangsa to Jogyesa

The temple dates from 1910, the first year of Japanese rule. Monks who wanted an independent Korean Buddhism founded it under the name Gakhwangsa; it was the first modern missionary centre of Korean Buddhism and the first temple built inside the old city gates. In 1937 work began to move it to its present site, and the following year it took the name Taegosa by formally transferring Taegosa temple from Samgaksan. After the Buddhist purification movement it was renamed Jogyesa in 1954, and today it is the leading temple of the Jogye Order. It also has painful memories: in October 1980, during the persecution in which the new military authorities raided major temples across the country under the pretext of "purifying" Buddhism, Jogyesa was searched by troops and police.

What to see

• Daeungjeon (Main Hall): consecrated on 25 October 1938. Unusually, it was built from a hall moved here from the Bocheongyo religious complex in Jeongeup, North Jeolla. Look closely at the lattice patterns of its doors and windows.
• Lacebark pine (Natural Monument): its bark peels off in wide patches and looks white, hence the nickname "white-bone pine". It was brought from China by Joseon-era envoys and is 13.6 m tall. Because space is tight, only the branches reaching towards the main hall are still alive.
• Chinese scholar tree: an old tree about 26 m tall and 4 m around that shades the courtyard.
• Ten-storey octagonal pagoda with relics of the Buddha, the One-Pillar Gate, Geungnakjeon and the bell pavilion: they are grouped around the main hall, so a slow loop of the courtyard covers them all.

Lantern festival and Templestay

In the weeks before Buddha's Birthday the courtyard is covered with lanterns, and a lantern parade fills the streets of Jongno. Yeondeunghoe, the lantern festival, is a National Intangible Heritage and is recorded as early as the 9th century in Unified Silla. Jogyesa also runs a Templestay programme where you can try temple life. Templestay takes place in the Centennial Memorial Hall at the side of the courtyard, which also houses a Guanyin hall and a children's dharma hall. In recent years the main hall has been repaired and a new One-Pillar Gate built to suit the temple's role as head temple.

Tripto tips

• Getting there: a few minutes' walk from exit 6 of Anguk station (Line 3). You can also walk from exit 2 of Jonggak (Line 1) or exit 2 of Gwanghwamun (Line 5).
• Parking: the temple car park is small and costs KRW 1,000 per 10 minutes, so public transport is easier.
• Time needed: 30 minutes to 1 hour for the grounds. Insadong and Gyeongbokgung Palace are close by.
• Etiquette: many people pray in the halls, so move quietly and avoid taking photos during services.
• When to go: the weeks around Buddha's Birthday, when lanterns cover the courtyard, are the most colourful. On the weekend of the lantern parade the whole Jongno area is very crowded.