02 · Golden Era Route

Bongjeongsa Temple

Bongjeongsa Temple in Andong, the mountain temple where once the phoenix nested

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This is the Golden Era Route listing for Bongjeongsa Temple. The full page lives under the Korean Temple Monasteries (Sansa) Route.

Planning the visit

Bongjeongsa Temple is stop 7 of 8 on the Golden Era Route.

The stamp is not at the site itself but at the Cultural commentator office at the tourist information center, so check the opening hours of that building rather than the site.

Admission is charged: Adults KRW 2,000 / Teenagers, Soldiers KRW 1,300 / Children KRW 600.

The two closest stamp points are Byeongsanseowon, 16 km away, and Hahoe Village at 18 km. All three fit into one day.

This stamp counts for the Korean Temple Monasteries (Sansa) Route too, but one stamping only fills one passport page. Stamp it twice if you want both.

Details

Address

222, Bongjeongsa-gil, Seohu-myeon, Andong-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do

Stamp zone

Cultural commentator office at the tourist information center

Hours

09:00-18:00, daily

Admission

Adults KRW 2,000 / Teenagers, Soldiers KRW 1,300 / Children KRW 600

Phone

054-853-4181

Website

www.bongjeongsa.org

Coordinates

36.65327, 128.66272

What the campaign says about it

It is said that Bongjeongsa Temple located on Cheondeungsan Mountain was founded in 672 CE (12th year of King Munmu) by Neungin Daesa, who was a disciple of Uisang Daesa. Bongjeong (鳳停), in other words, the “residence of the phoenix,” is surrounded by trees and mountain ranges, giving the whole Temple a cozy feel. Go up the steep stairs and pass Bongjeongsa Manserushido tangible cultural property, which serves as the entrance to the Temple, and you can access its elegant buildings. The buildings at Bongjeongsa Temple are built in different styles. A stroll through the Temple will be like a trip through time. You can learn about various architectural styles for wooden buildings in Korea, and two of the most important buildings in terms of the architectural history of Korea, are Geuknakjeon Hall and Daeungjeon Hall. The two halls each have a courtyard, which embody the faith of Buddha and the faith of Mita, respectively. Geuknakjeon (national treasure) at Bongjeongsa Temple, the oldest wooden building in Korea, was inspired by the architectural style from the Unified Silla period, whereas Daeungjeon Hall (national treasure) was based on the architectural styles from the late Goryeo and early Joseon Dynasty periods. Hwaeom Gangdang (treasure) is where monks learned the foundational teachings of Buddhism. Gogeumdang Hall (treasure), which is presumed to have been an annex that enshrined the statue of Buddha, is also an interesting structure as it features a wide variety of architectural techniques. Bongjeongsa Manseru Pavilion Manseru is a two-story pavilion and gate in front of Daeungjeon Hall of Bongjeongsa Temple. Bongjeongsa Temple was built by Uisang Daesa in 682 CE (2nd year of King Sinmun of Silla). According to legend, when Uisang Daesa threw a paper phoenix made with magic from Buseoksa Temple, it landed at the site of Bongjeongsa Temple. Geuknakjeon Hall at Bongjeongsa Temple was originally named Daejangjeon Hall, but was later renamed. When the Hall was repaired in 1972, archaeologists discovered records of a previous roof repair done in 1363 CE (12th year of King Gongmin of Goryeo). Given that most wooden buildings undergo repairs 100 to 150 years into their lives, experts believe that Geuknakjeon Hall was built sometime in the early 1200s, which would make it the oldest wooden structure in Korea. Daeungjeon Hall at Bongjeongsa Temple Daeungjeon Hall, the main hall at Bongjeongsa Temple, houses the statue of Sakyamuni. Judging from records discovered during repair works done in 1962, Daeungjeon Hall is presumed to have been built during the early Joseon Dynasty period. The Dancheong decorations inside the building are in excellent condition, and are important resources in studying the Dancheong patterns from the era. Hwaeom Gangdang at Bongjeongsa Temple is the place where Buddhist monks learned the foundational teachings of Buddhism. According to records such as the Yangbeopdang Jungsugi, it is estimated that Hwaeom Gangdang was restored when both the Geuknakjeon and Daeungjeon Halls were rebuilt in the 17th century CE. The building has a calm and stable design, and is a great academic resource for experts studying the history of traditional architecture in Korea. Gogeumdang Hall at Bongjeongsa Temple Gogeumdang in front of Geuknakjeon Hall faces east, and it was presumably an annex that enshrined the statue of Buddha. Today, the building is used as a dormitory for monks stationed at the Temple. Records discovered while restoring the Temple in 1969 show that the Hall was repaired in 1616 CE (8th year of Gwanghae-gun). However, it is unknown when Gogeumdang Hall was first built.

Quoted from the Visit Korean Heritage Campaign.

Getting there

Take bus no. 351 at the Kyobo Life Insurance bus stop near Andong Station or the Andong Terminal bus stop → Get off at Bongjeongsa Temple bus stop

Photographs

Photographs supplied by the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation.