Janggyeongsa Temple

Janggyeongsa Temple stands within Namhansanseong Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and was built at the same time as the fortress itself. The monk army (seung-gun), a force of Buddhist monks raised at times of national crisis such as war, distinguished itself during the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598) and went on to take on various duties for the state afterwards. Namhansanseong was itself a large new mountain fortress built south of Seoul, with monk troops mobilised under the command of Master Byeogam Gakseong to prepare against the Later Jin, which was then growing in strength to the north. To house the monk soldiers who came up from all over the country, seven temples were built within the fortress walls in addition to the existing Mangwolsa and Okjeongsa temples, and Janggyeongsa was one of these seven. Even after construction was finished, the monk army remained responsible for guarding and maintaining the fortress, living as both monks and soldiers across the nine temples. When the army of the Korean Empire was disbanded by the Japanese in 1907, most of the military facilities of Namhansanseong and the temples that had served as bases for the monk army were destroyed, but Janggyeongsa was the only temple to escape this fate. It suffered serious damage in a fire in 1975 but was restored and survives to the present day. Janggyeongsa stands roughly midway between Jwaikmun, the east gate of Namhansanseong Fortress, and Mangwolbong Peak to the north, and many people once passed through it via the fortress's first amun, a concealed gate in the wall. The temple retains Daeungjeon Hall, which enshrines the Buddha Shakyamuni, together with a yosa (the monks' living quarters), Jinnamnu, a gate tower, and Chilseonggak, a small shrine. Because the temple once housed the monk army, it is notable that the yosa is larger than the hall used for Buddhist services.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Gwangju, Gyeonggi

Designation

Cultural Heritage Material · 문화유산자료