Four Guardian Kings Gate of Baegyangsa Temple, Jangseong

Baegyangsa Temple, on Baegamsan Mountain, was first built in 632, the 33rd year of King Mu of Baekje, by the monk Yeohwan. It was rebuilt and renamed several times afterwards, and its present name, Baegyangsa, dates from 1574, the seventh year of King Seonjo of Joseon, when the monk Hwanyang rebuilt the temple. It is said that, as Hwanyang read the Lotus Sutra there every day, white sheep would often gather to listen to his recitation, and the temple was accordingly renamed Baegyangsa, meaning "White Sheep Temple". The temple's main gate, the Four Guardian Kings Gate, was built over five years starting in 1917, when the temple was extensively rebuilt under Song Man-am. It is a building five bays wide and two bays deep, with a gable roof whose side profile forms the shape of the Chinese character for "person". The central bay serves as the passageway, and statues of the Four Heavenly Kings are enshrined in the bays on either side; the Four Heavenly Kings are deities who protect the four directions of the Buddhist realm and guard the nation. To the right of the gate are enshrined Jiguk Cheonwang and Jeungjang Cheonwang, and to the left Gwangmok Cheonwang and Damun Cheonwang, each guarding one of the four directions.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Jangseong, Jeonnam & Gwangju

Designation

Provincial Tangible Heritage · 시도유형문화유산