Gwijeongsa Temple Site

Gwijeongsa was built in 515, the fifteenth year of King Muryeong of Baekje, by State Preceptor Hyeon-o; it was originally called Manhaengsa and was later renamed Gwijeongsa. The name change is said to stem from the Baekje king spending three days at the temple listening to a monk's sermons while attending to affairs of state there. It underwent two major rebuildings, in 1002, the fifth year of King Mokjong of Goryeo, and in 1468, the fourteenth year of King Sejo, and this was the temple's golden age. It was later damaged during the Japanese invasions of 1592–98, rebuilt largely in its earlier form in 1664, the fifth year of King Hyeonjong, by Great Master Seolje, and repaired again in 1804, the fourth year of King Sunjo, by Great Master Hyeonil — only for United Nations forces to burn the entire temple down after the Korean War during operations against guerrillas. Records show the old Gwijeongsa had a main hall, a pavilion, Manwoldang, a monks' hall, Yeonhwadang, Samgwangjeon, Munsujeon, Sangsil and Myeongwoldang, together with the hermitages of Nam-am, Daeeun-am, Yeongdang and Nakeun-am, but all were lost. At present, through the efforts of the monk Yu Jeong-dong, only the Daeungjeon Hall, a monks' hall, a mountain-spirit shrine and a monks' residence have been newly built, a project completed in 1968.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Namwon, Jeonbuk

Designation

Provincial Monument · 시도기념물