Sangwonsa Temple

Sangwonsa sits about nine kilometres up the valley above Woljeongsa, high on Odaesan and surrounded by forest, and it holds one object of first importance: a bronze bell cast in 725, the oldest dated bell in Korea and among the oldest in East Asia, hung in its own pavilion. The surface carries flying apsaras playing stringed instruments in relief, and the shape - with a single dragon hook and a sound tube at the crown - is the pattern later Korean bells followed. It is a national treasure and is no longer rung. The temple also has a seated wooden Manjusri boy figure of 1466 with a documented dedication, and it is tied to King Sejo, who by tradition was cured of a skin disease bathing in the stream here. The valley road up from Woljeongsa is unpaved in stretches and the setting is genuinely remote. Trails to Birobong, Odaesan's summit, start from behind the temple.

What you actually see

• The 725 bell - the oldest dated bronze bell in Korea.
• The apsara reliefs - musicians cast on the bell's surface.
• The Manjusri figure - the 1466 wooden boy bodhisattva.
• The summit trails - routes to Birobong behind the temple.

When to go

May to June and October. The valley road is difficult in winter snow. Mornings are quiet; the temple keeps monastic hours.

Honest expectations

The bell is displayed but not rung and cannot be approached closely. The road up is rough in places. It is a working monastery high on a mountain, with limited facilities.

Nearby

Woljeongsa and the fir avenue are down the valley; Odaesan's Birobong trail starts here.