Bongeunsa Temple: The Must See Korean Temple In Gangnam
Bongeunsa Temple (๋ด์์ฌ) is definitely one of the most popular Korean temples in Seoul along with Jogyesa temple. The popular temple sits in the ritzy Gangnam-gu area and tourists from near and far stop by as it’s an easy temple to find while out and about.
While most of Korea’s Buddhist temples are set up in mountains entailing at least a short walk or hike into a forest, Bongeunsa is one of a few temples in Seoul that sprawls over an expanse that sits just beyond a major thoroughfare, though of course it wasn’t planned to be that way.
While I would direct tourists to take the time to hike up to enjoy the zen of a temple in the nearby mountains, if short on time, Bongeunsa sitting just across from the always busy and fun Starfield COEX Mall is a fair stop to make.
Want to learn more about Bongeunsa Temple? You’ve come to the right spot:
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How To Get To Bongeunsa Temple
Address: 531 Bongeunsa-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (์์ธํน๋ณ์ ๊ฐ๋จ๊ตฌ ๋ด์์ฌ๋ก 531 (์ผ์ฑ๋))
By Subway: Head to Bongeunsa Subway Station, take exit 1 and walk straight. The temple will appear on your right.
Hop On/ Hop Off Bus: If you’ll be traveling via the Seoul City Hop On/Hop Off Bus, know that it also stops here. You can buy the ticket for this bus here. And to get more information about the bus, here is a guide to the Hop On/ Hop Off Bus In Seoul.
Basic Info
Hours: 3:00am – 10:00pm
Days: Open all year round
Amenities: Temple Stay program, parking, English & Japanese interpretation services offered
Ceremonies:
- Weekly 2 hour programs are available for foreigners for W10,000 no reservation required on Thursdays from 2:00pm – 4:00pm. A temple tour, meditation and conversation with monks over a traditional tea ceremony are all included.
- Jeongdaebulsa is held each September 9th on the lunar calendar. Monks march around carrying the scriptures and recite the Buddhist rites.
Templestay Program: Consider joining a templestay program at Bongeunsa Temple while you’re in Seoul, Korea.
History Of The Temple
Bongeunsa Temple is believed to have been built by Monk Yeonhoei in 794AD during the reign of King Wonseong and was once known as Gyeonseongsa Temple. In 1498, the temple was re-established at the east of King Seongjong’s mausoleum by Queen Jeonghyeon and was renamed Bongeunsa. This temple became the head temple for the Seon (Zen) sect during the Joseon Dynasty with the support of Queen Munjeong when Buddhism was severely oppressed in the country and it was also during this time that it was moved to its current location.
Bongeunsa Temple was the main Seon temple from 1551 to 1936 though not everyone was happy and Monk Bo-wu who was appointed the head of the temple in 1548 was killed soon after appointment by anti-Buddhist factions who had regained dominance.
While the temple saw many ups and down including being burnt down in 1939 and severely damaged during the Korean War, one hall, Panjeon, managed to survive and with it the Flower Garland (Avatamsaka) Sutra woodblock carvings from 1855 escaped the destruction and are still housed there today.
What draws many to this temple though is the tall stone statue of Maitreya Buddha, the Future Buddha, which stands 23 meters tall and is the tallest statue of Maitreya in Korea. While not exactly that old, having just been built from 1986 and completed in 1996, the statue is impressive in stature and worth a view during the day or night when lit from all angles.
I haven’t had the chance to walk through many of the temples in the evening, but definitely recommend it. It’s a completely different way to see a temple and if you’ve seen a few you might think you’ve seen them all by now. You haven’t, but if you feel like that, change up the time of day that you visit and you might get a whole new vibe.
Though often packed with people walking this way and that on the weekends, I found the temple virtually devoid of people at 6:30pm on a Saturday. Eerie in the dark with the temple buildings lit from the inside, I felt as though I was trespassing until a nearby guard passed and I confirmed it was definitely okay that I meander around and enjoy the serene nature of the temple made even more serene and calming by the drums and percussion sounds beaten by the monks at 6:40pm to start evening prayers. (If you want to catch the morning ritual, you’ll have to get there by 4:10am.)
While I usually quite enjoy the colorful facades of temple buildings and the intricate paintings that take over the sides, there was something extremely appealing about seeing this temple by only the lights from within the buildings and the moonlight from above. I likely felt this way because I find the location of Bongeunsa extremely unappealing in such a central city location but seen in the night, the quiet and depths of darkness make it feel isolated and calming as most Buddhist temples that are actually isolated tend to make me feel.
Bonguensa Temple is a calming place that is a great highlight to add to the itinerary if you’re in the area. Visiting COEX? Walk across the street and get out of the hustle bustle of the mall. It’s worth it.
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