Sinheungsa Temple

Sinheungsa stands at the Seorak-dong entrance to Seoraksan National Park and is the head temple of the 3rd district of the Jogye Order. Hikers heading for Ulsanbawi Rock or Biseondae pass it first. Late Joseon halls and a large pavilion sit against the peaks of Seoraksan, and near the entrance a 14.6-metre bronze Buddha watches over the path. Even if you are not hiking, it is an easy, level walk from the Seorak-dong car park area, which makes it a natural first stop on a Seoraksan trip.

History: a temple that moved three times

Sinheungsa traces its roots to Hyangseongsa, founded by the Silla monk Jajang. Sources differ on the exact year, with 652 the most commonly given. Hyangseongsa stood about 1 km east of the present site and burned down in 701. The monk Uisang later built Seonjeongsa where Naewonam hermitage is today, but it was lost to fire in 1642. In 1644 three monks, Yeongseo, Yeonok and Hyewon, rebuilt the temple on its current site and named it Sinheungsa. It was originally a branch of Geonbongsa in Goseong, but because Geonbongsa ended up in an area with restricted civilian access, Sinheungsa became the district head temple in 1971.

What to see

• Geungnakbojeon (Treasure): the main hall, a mid-Joseon wooden building. The wooden seated Amitabha Buddha triad inside is also a Treasure.
• Bojeru: the large pavilion facing the main hall; you walk beneath it to climb into the courtyard. It is a Gangwon Tangible Cultural Heritage.
• Great Unification Buddha: a seated bronze Buddha 14.6 m tall and weighing about 108 tonnes, 18.9 m including its pedestal. It expresses hopes for Korean reunification and was paid for by a great many small donations.
• Stupa field: the reliquary stupas of the temple's late Joseon masters stand together in one place.
• Three-storey pagoda of Hyangseongsa Temple Site: a reminder of the original temple.

A starting point for hikes

Beyond Sinheungsa the trail continues past the rocking stone Heundeulbawi and Gyejoam hermitage to Ulsanbawi, while another branch follows the valley to Biseondae. The Seoraksan Cable Car to Gwongeumseong Fortress also leaves from the same area, so a temple visit and a short viewpoint trip are easy to combine. The temple runs templestay programmes with ceremonies, 108 prostrations and lantern making.

Inside the Unification Buddha

The Great Unification Buddha is hollow, and inside are three relics of the Buddha donated by the government of Myanmar, together with Buddhist scriptures. Its forehead is set with eight pieces of amber about 8 cm across and a single 10 cm piece of jade, and sixteen carved panels surround the lotus pedestal. The roughly KRW 3.8 billion it cost was raised over more than ten years from the small anonymous donations of over 300,000 temple visitors. Take a close look at the half-closed eyes, the faint smile and the folds of the robe draped over the left shoulder, leaving the right bare.

More to know

• The temple's name was originally written with the characters 神興 ("divine rise"), changed in 1995 to the current 新興 ("new rise").
• Besides Geungnakbojeon, the wooden Ksitigarbha triad is designated a Treasure, and the temple's printing blocks, bronze bell, gong and Hall of Judgement are listed as Gangwon cultural heritage.
• From the courtyard in front of the main hall, the rocky peaks of Seoraksan rise behind the temple like a folding screen, and they stand out even more clearly under winter snow.

Tripto tips

• Admission: since May 2023, fees for temples with national heritage have been abolished, so entry to Sinheungsa is free. The car park charges a day rate for small cars of KRW 4,000 in low season and KRW 5,000 in high season.
• Time needed: about an hour for the temple, half a day if you walk to Heundeulbawi, and four to five hours return for Ulsanbawi.
• Best time: October foliage is the highlight, but the car park and access road get extremely busy. Arrive early or take a city bus from central Sokcho to Seorak-dong.
• Watch out: national park trails can be closed in bad weather, so check the Korea National Park Service notices before you set off.