Silsangsa Temple, Buddhist temple in Namwon, South Korea

Silsangsa is a Buddhist temple near Namwon with thirty-six buildings, stone pagodas, and multiple halls arranged along the Mansucheon River. The complex displays various sections dedicated to different Buddhist deities and demonstrates the architectural variety found in a traditional Korean temple.

The temple was founded in 828 after monk Hongcheok returned from travels in Tang Dynasty China. It became the birthplace of the Korean Silsang school and significantly shaped Buddhist development in the country.

The temple serves as a center for Buddhist worship and houses several national treasures that reflect its importance in Korean spiritual life. Visitors encounter sacred statues and artwork that have been carefully maintained as expressions of deep religious devotion.

Silsangsa stands in the open fields of Namwon's Sannaemyeon area, close to the border with Hamyang County in South Gyeongsang Province, beside the Mansucheon stream flowing down from Jirisan. The grounds are entered on foot, and the flat courtyard with its stone lantern makes orientation easy. Allow time for the outlying hermitages Baekjangam, Seojinam and Yaksuam, which lie apart from the main halls.

Unlike most Korean temples built high in mountains, this one stands in agricultural fields near the northern reaches of Mount Jirisan. This unusual location in flatland with fields and a river makes it distinctly different from typical Korean temple settings.