Bongamsa, Buddhist temple in Mungyeong, South Korea.
Bongamsa is a Korean Buddhist temple nestled at the foot of Mount Huiyangsan, with buildings and structures arranged across the mountainous grounds. The complex includes a main temple hall, several subsidiary buildings, and seven smaller hermitages distributed throughout the woodland terrain.
Monk Jijeung founded this temple in 879 during the Unified Silla period, establishing it as a center for the Huiyangsan School of Korean Seon Buddhism. This early foundation connects it to a long lineage of Buddhist practice on the peninsula.
The temple is treasured by the Korean Buddhist community as a center of Seon practice, where pilgrims gather each year to honor Buddha's Birthday with prayer and reflection. The carved stone monuments display the artistic mastery of monks from centuries past.
Access to the temple is limited to one day each year when Buddha's Birthday is celebrated in spring, requiring advance planning if you wish to visit. It helps to research opening details ahead of time, as the temple may have specific arrival requirements or limited capacity.
The site received its name from a nearby cliff where a rooster's morning call resembled the cry of a phoenix, leading to the name meaning Phoenix Rock Temple. This poetic naming reflects how monks understood and celebrated the natural world around them.
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