Incheon Yonggungsa Temple

In the middle of Yeongjongdo, the island that is home to Incheon International Airport, a small temple called Yonggungsa sits at the end of a forest path on the north-eastern slopes of Baegunsan (255 m). It is modest in size, but it was rebuilt and renamed by Heungseon Daewongun, the powerful father and regent of King Gojong, and traces of him remain throughout. At the entrance stand two zelkova trees said to be more than a thousand years old. Being close to the airport, it is also a good way to get a feel for a Korean temple during a long layover.

From Baegunsa to Yonggungsa

According to tradition, the monk Wonhyo founded the temple in 670, in the tenth year of King Munmu of Silla, and named it Baegunsa after the mountain. In the late Joseon period it was known as Gudamsa, and the Daewongun is said to have prayed here for many years that his son would become king. After Gojong took the throne, the Daewongun moved the temple back to its old site, rebuilt it and renamed it Yonggungsa, the 'Dragon Palace Temple'. Sources give the date of the rebuilding as either 1854 or 1864. The temple was designated a Tangible Cultural Property of Incheon in 1990.

The stone Buddha from the sea

The temple's name is tied to a legend of the sea. A Yeongjongdo fisherman pulled up his net to find not fish but a stone Buddha. Twice he threw it back, and twice it came up again. That night an old man appeared in his dream and told him to enshrine the Buddha properly, and the fisherman did as he was told. The figure is said to have disappeared during the Japanese colonial period. Versions of the story differ on the fisherman's name and what the Buddha was made of.

What to see

• Gwaneumjeon Hall: Rebuilt by the Daewongun, it has a simple gabled roof that looks like the Chinese character for 'person' (人) from the side. Four pillar inscriptions by the calligrapher Haegang Kim Gyu-jin hang on its columns. It once housed a jade statue of Gwanseum, the bodhisattva of compassion, which was stolen during the colonial period; a bronze statue has replaced it.
• The Daewongun's signboard: On the front of the residential hall near the entrance hangs a signboard reading 'Yonggungsa' in the Daewongun's own hand. You can see the bold, powerful brushwork up close.
• The two zelkovas: The pair of zelkova trees at the entrance are said to be over a thousand years old and are protected as an Incheon Monument. The base of one trunk has hollowed out so much that a small Buddha figure has been placed inside.
• Upper halls and Maitreya: Higher up are the Chilseonggak and Yonghwanggak shrines, along with a recently erected 11 m statue of Maitreya.

Tripto tips

• Visiting: The temple is open year-round and admission is free. Parking is also free.
• Time needed: 40 minutes to an hour for the temple alone; allow half a day if you add a hike up Baegunsan.
• Getting there: It is about 3 km east of Unseo Station on the AREX airport line, roughly a 10-minute taxi ride. The address is 199-1 Unnam-ro, Yeongjong-gu, Incheon.
• Layover trip: Its closeness to the airport makes it a good stop on a long transit, but leave plenty of time for departure formalities.
• Best time: Autumn, when the zelkova leaves turn yellow, and the weeks around Buddha's Birthday, when lanterns are hung, are especially attractive.
• Etiquette: This is a small temple where monks live close to the visitor areas; do not go into the residential quarters.