Magoksa Temple

Right in front of the temple, the stream swings round in a wide S-bend. Geomancers likened its course to the taegeuk symbol, and Joseon writers counted the Magoksa area among the ten refuges where you could sit out a war in safety. Magoksa in Gongju is the head temple of the 6th district of the Jogye Order and oversees the Buddhist temples of South Chungcheong. In 2018 it became one of the seven temples inscribed by UNESCO as "Sansa, Buddhist Mountain Monasteries in Korea".

History: a crowd as dense as hemp stalks

Two founding stories survive: one credits the monk Jajang in 640, the other the Seon master Chejing. No artefact confirms either, and all that is certain is that the temple existed before the Goryeo period. The name Magok, "hemp valley", is said to come from the crowds who gathered to hear the monk Bocheol preach, packed together like stalks in a hemp field. Other stories tell of the temple being reclaimed from a band of thieves in the Goryeo era, and of King Sejo of Joseon visiting, writing the name plaque for Yeongsanjeon Hall and leaving his palanquin behind. Many halls burned during the Japanese invasions of the 1590s, and Daeungbojeon, Yeongsanjeon and Daegwangbojeon were rebuilt in 1651.

What to see

• Five-storey Stone Pagoda (National Treasure): a late Goryeo pagoda, probably 14th century, built in the Baekje-influenced style of the region. On top sits a 1.8 m gilt-bronze miniature stupa in the Lamaist style popular under the Yuan dynasty. No other Korean stone pagoda has anything like it, which earned it the nickname "the pagoda on top of a pagoda". It was upgraded from Treasure to National Treasure in January 2025.
• Daegwangbojeon Hall (Treasure): the large hall directly behind the pagoda; together they form the heart of the main courtyard. Look out for the juniper in front of it.
• Daeungbojeon Hall (Treasure): a two-storey wooden hall on a high stone terrace behind Daegwangbojeon. From the top of the steps you look down over the courtyard and the pagoda.
• Yeongsanjeon Hall (Treasure): the hall whose name plaque is attributed to King Sejo.

A story worth knowing

In 1896, outraged by the murder of Queen Myeongseong, the young Kim Gu killed a Japanese man and was jailed in Incheon. After breaking out, he hid at Magoksa and lived as a monk under the Buddhist name Wonjong. The juniper in front of Daegwangbojeon is said to have been planted by him. Kim Gu later became one of the leading figures of the Korean independence movement, and many visitors stop at the tree for that reason.

Nearby

• Tomb of King Muryeong and the royal tombs: the tomb of the Baekje king Muryeong was found by chance during drainage work in 1971. It had never been looted, and its epitaph stone and gold ornaments identified its occupant beyond doubt. Gongju's Baekje sites became part of the UNESCO "Baekje Historic Areas" in 2015.
• Gongsanseong Fortress: a Baekje-era mountain fortress above the Geumgang River. A walk along the top of the walls takes in the river and the town.
• Gapsa Temple: on the western slopes of Gyeryongsan, famous for its autumn colours and traditionally paired with Magoksa in spring.

Tripto tips

• Tickets and parking: admission and parking are listed as free and the grounds are always open. Temple stay and other programmes are charged separately.
• Time needed: allow about 1.5 hours from the Haetalmun Gate to Daeungbojeon, or 2–3 hours if you add a walk along the stream.
• When to go: an old saying, "chun Magok", singles out Magoksa for its spring scenery. Late April and May, with fresh green leaves over the stream, are the best weeks.