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Bongjeongsa Temple

  • Buddhist Mountain Monasteries in Korea
  • Sansa, Buddhist Mountain Monasteries in Korea

Bongjeongsa Temple

Introduction Natural Environment History Temple Layout Cultural Properties Information
About Bongjeongsa Temple
    • Bongjeongsa Temple Bongjeongsa Temple
    • Bongjeongsa Temple situated on Cheondeungsan Mountain in Andong-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province belongs to the 16th diocese of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism.
      Cheondeungsan was originally called Daemangsan, but its name was changed in reflection of a story involving Great Monk Neungin. When he was younger, Neungin cultivated the Way in a rocky cave in the mountain, and a fairy from the heavenly realms, admiring his power of the Way, sent down a lantern to lift darkness from the cave. Based on this story, the mountain was renamed Cheondeungsan (lit. Heavens Lantern Mountain) and the cave was named Cheondeunggul.
  • Afterwards, he became even more devoted to spiritual cultivation, and he sought a place where he should found a temple. He used his power of the Way to create a phoenix with a piece of paper and release it to find a temple site. The phoenix flew and landed on the site of the present-day Bongjeongsa. This is why it was given the name, Bongjeongsa, which literally means that the “phoenix stayed.”
  • Daeungjeon of Bongjeongsa TempleDaeungjeon of Bongjeongsa Temple Three-Story Stone Pagoda of Bongjeongsa TempleThree-Story Stone Pagoda of Bongjeongsa Temple Yeongsanam of Bongjeongsa TempleYeongsanam of Bongjeongsa Temple
    • Bongjeongsa Temple is one of the most renowned places not only in Andong, but also in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province. It is one of the handful of temples in Korea with the longest history and the most beautiful temple. Bongjeongsa contains Geungnakjeon Hall, which is the oldest wooden building in Korea. Carrying on the traditions of Buddhism, Bongjeongsa can demonstrate the unqiue appeal of mountain temples, which provide people with training of the mind and soul and a chance to relax and find serenity. For this reason, it has been drewing a lot of interest and visitors since long ago. In the Goryeo Dynasty, King Taejo and King Gongmin visited the temple. More recently, in 1999, Bongjeong garnered global attention when Queen Elizabeth II of England visited the Andong Village and Bongjeongsa Temple to gain insight into Korean Buddhism culture.
      Bongjeongsa contains three hermitages, which are Yeongsanam, Jijoam and Jungam.
    • Bongjeongsa Temple viewed from the back Bongjeongsa Temple viewed from the back