Hamyang Baengnyongseongseonsahwagwawon Temple Historic Remains

Hwagwawon was a farm established by Baengnyongseong Seonsa to raise funds for the independence movement during the Japanese colonial period, while practising seonnong Buddhism (禪農佛敎), a way of combining Zen meditation and farming. Baengnyongseong Seonsa (1864–1940) was an independence activist and one of the 33 national representatives at the 1919 March First Movement; in Buddhism he advocated and practised this half-farming, half-meditation seonnong Buddhism. He reclaimed the forest and wasteland here, planted fruit trees, and established a farm called Hwagwawon. The Hwagwawon historic site sits on the upper slopes of Baegunsan Mountain, roughly eight-tenths of the way to the summit, making it difficult to reach from outside. It is said that people used this place as a base, crossing over the hill behind it to evade Japanese oppression while carrying out independence activities. Today the site retains the remains of nine buildings, including the former main hall and meditation hall, along with retaining walls, stone structures and a kiln site, and many fruit trees, including old pear trees, still grow in the surrounding area.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Hamyang, Gyeongnam

Designation

Provincial Monument · 시도기념물