Bongeunsa Temple

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Bongeunsa is probably one of the largest and most important temples in Seoul. It was founded in 794 but most of the buildings were destroyed by a fire in 1939 and have been rebuilt since then.

The temple grounds were beautiful, although lacking greenery because it's winter. The two ponds were frozen over, which was stunning.

Highlights:

- Sacheonwang (Statues of Four Devas). These are statues of four heavenly kings that protect the Dharma and its followers. They’re located at the entrance gate to the temple.
- Various murals painted on the sides of virtually all the buildings. Some have been recreated after the fire, but many are extremely old and peeling but still beautiful.
- We were able to go inside of the buildings during the service and listen to the monks chanting and playing drums. It was an amazing experience. I could listen to monks chant and sing all day. The inside of the temple was gorgeous. There were several large lotus lamps that were mesmerizing. One of the best interiors of a temple I’ve ever seen. Absolutely wonderful!
- Daewoongjeon (Main temple). This is the most important temple of Bongeunsa. The stairs outside of the temple are carved with dragons, which are typically only used for the royal palace. Daewoong means “Big Hero” and is another name for Buddha. Inside the building is a statue of Sakyamuni Buddha in the center, with Amitabha Buddha and Bhaisagya Buddha on either side.
- Mireukdaebul (Maitreya-the Buddha of the future statue). This is the 23-meter high Buddha statue. It was built in 1996 so it’s definitely not something of historical significance just yet, but it is the tallest statue of Buddha in Korea. It symbolizes hope for Maitreya arriving and saving all mankind.

That’s basically it. The temple left me with a lasting impression. People were so, so, so nice. Everyone bowed and smiled and said hello to us. It was a welcome change from the pushing and shoving I’m used to. I was sad to leave. It was an amazing feeling to know that there are still Buddhists in Korea. There were people praying in the temple grounds and the overall feeling was so calm and tranquil. I definitely enjoyed it and will be going back in the Spring to see what it would look like with blooming flowers and trees.

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