Seonamsa Temple

Seonamsa is one of the seven Sansa inscribed by UNESCO in 2018, and unusually among the big Korean monasteries it belongs to the Taego order rather than the Jogye. The set piece is on the way in: Seungseongyo, a semicircular stone arch bridge over the valley stream, built in the eighteenth century, with a carved dragon head projecting down from the centre of the underside - the classic photograph puts the pavilion Gangseollu inside the arch's reflection. The compound above is laid out as a series of small courtyards rather than one grand axis, with plum trees several hundred years old, a tea plantation on the slope, and a famously plain wooden latrine building that is itself a designated cultural property. The temple keeps a slower, less commercial feel than its neighbours. Trails cross Jogyesan to Songgwangsa, about three hours, which is the standard walk here.

History

Legend holds that the missionary monk Ado built a hermitage named Biroam here in 529, and in 861 the monk Doseon built a great temple and named it Seonamsa, after the story of an immortal who played Go on the rock; as head of a trio of rock temples with Unamsa and Yongamsa, it played a central part in the growth of Seon Buddhism. Many of its buildings were lost in the Japanese invasions of 1592-1598 and restored after the war, and since 1992 work has been under way to return it to its 11th-century layout; it belongs to the Taego Order, though the Jogye Order also claims it (Wikipedia, Seonamsa).

What to look for

• Seungseongyo bridge - the stone arch with its dragon head.
• The courtyard layout - small linked yards rather than one axis.
• The old plum trees - several centuries in the grounds.
• The ridge trail - the crossing to Songgwangsa.

When to go

March for the plum blossom, April to June, and October for colour. Weekday mornings are quiet; the site is less busy than Songgwangsa.

Practical notes

Ticketed, with a walk up from the gate. It is a working monastery under UNESCO listing - halls in use, modest dress, quiet expected. The buildings are plain by design.

Nearby

Songgwangsa is over the ridge; Suncheon Bay and Naganeupseong are toward the coast.

Key facts