Magoksa Temple

Magoksa is one of the seven Sansa, Buddhist mountain monasteries of Korea inscribed by UNESCO in 2018 for having kept their function and layout continuously since foundation. What distinguishes it visually is water: the Taegeukcheon curves through the middle of the compound in a bend that gives the site its taegeuk name, and the temple is built on both banks with a bridge between them, so the outer courtyards and the main halls sit on opposite sides of a stream. The Daeungbojeon is a rare two-storey main hall; the Yeongsanjeon is among the older wooden buildings in the region; and a five-storey stone pagoda in the courtyard carries a bronze finial in a Tibetan-influenced style unusual in Korea. Kim Gu, the independence leader, hid here as a monk in the 1890s and a hall commemorates it. The valley walk in from the gate through maples is the autumn draw, and the temple runs a templestay.

History

The Vinaya master Jajang founded Magoksa in 640 on land given by Queen Seondeok of Silla, and its name, hemp valley, is said to come from the monk Bocheol, to whom the crowds at his Dharma talks looked like hemp stalks packed together. The monk Jinul, also called Bojo Guksa, restored it with his disciple Su-u, and King Sejo of Joseon later visited and wrote the plaque of the Yeongsanjeon hall himself, leaving behind the palanquin he came in. Most of its buildings burned in the Japanese invasion of 1592-1597 and several halls were rebuilt in 1651, and in the years of the Korean Empire, 1897-1910, Kim Gu came here after escaping from Incheon Prison and lived for a time as a monk named Wonjong (Wikipedia, Magoksa).

What to look for

• The stream through the compound - the S-bend and its bridge.
• Daeungbojeon - the two-storey main hall.
• The five-storey pagoda - with its unusual bronze finial.
• The valley approach - the maple walk from the gate.

When to go

April to June and October; the maple valley in late October is the peak and busiest. Mornings are quiet at any season.

What to expect

Ticketed, with a walk from the gate. It is a working monastery under UNESCO listing - dress modestly, keep quiet, and expect restrictions in some halls.

Nearby

Gongju's Baekje tombs and museum are 25 km away; Gyeryongsan is south-east.

Key facts