Seonbonsa Temple and Gatbawi Buddha

On the summit of Gwanbong, on the southern side of Palgongsan, a stone Buddha wearing a flat stone hat sits against a screen of rock. Officially the Stone Seated Buddha at Gwanbong Peak of Palgongsan, it is known to everyone as Gatbawi, the "hat rock" Buddha. It belongs to and is cared for by Seonbonsa temple on the slope below. Thanks to the belief that it grants one wish to anyone who prays sincerely, worshippers come in every season.

History: a Buddha carved for a mother

Seonbonsa is said to have been founded in 491 by the monk Geukdal. Tradition holds that the monk Uihyeon carved the Gatbawi Buddha in 638 for the soul of his late mother, and that cranes flew in each night to watch over him as he worked. Scholars, judging from its style, date it to the early 9th century, in Unified Silla.

The statue became widely known after a newspaper article in 1962. It was then state-owned and looked after by another temple, but Seonbonsa went to court, and in 1970 the Supreme Court ruled that it belonged to Seonbonsa; the decisive evidence was the temple's own chronicle, found while its Geungnakjeon hall was flooding in the rainy season. The statue was designated a Treasure in 1965.

What to see

• The Gatbawi Buddha: a granite seated figure about 4 m tall, on the summit of Gwanbong at around 850 m. It makes the earth-touching gesture, like the main Buddha of Seokguram, and the rock wall behind serves as its halo.
• The hat: a flat stone about 15 cm thick. A 3D survey in 2012 found a floral bosanghwa pattern carved on its top, suggesting it was originally an octagonal crown worn into its present shape. Because it resembles a graduation cap, many people come to pray for students facing exams.
• Seonbonsa's main hall and Yurigwangjeon: the new main hall stands where the stairways meet just below Gatbawi, with portraits of Uihyeon and Geukdal at either end inside. Yurigwangjeon, built like a basement beneath the Buddha, has part of its floor in natural rock.
• Manbul Daewon Pagoda and Samseonggak: a pagoda erected in front of the main hall in 2009 and a shrine to the mountain spirit.

Good to know

• The statue is blackened in places for a reason: until the early 1990s some people stuck candles to it, and in times of drought there was once a custom of setting fires against it, in the belief that a dragon would bring rain to wash the Buddha clean.
• The ears hang down to the shoulders, and the short, thick neck carries the three folds known as samdo.
• Over the centuries the Buddha has been identified as Shakyamuni, Amitabha or Maitreya; today it is called the Medicine Buddha.

Tripto tips

• Two routes: from the Daegu side you climb the 1,365 steps past Gwanamsa, about 45 minutes; city bus 401 makes it easy by public transport, but the steps are steep. From the Gyeongsan side, starting at Seonbonsa's car park, it takes about 25 minutes on gentler steps; Gyeongsan bus 803 runs infrequently. Check routes before you go.
• Winter: after snow, Seonbonsa clears its path, while the Daegu-side steps easily ice over; bring crampons.
• Visiting: open at all times, every day, with parking and toilets. Temple stays (day, rest and experience programmes) are available. Information: 053-851-1868.
• Combine with: Donghwasa, about 3 km away, and a Palgongsan hike for a full day.