Jeongtosa Temple (Jeongeup)

About this place

Jeongtosa Temple is a branch temple of Seonunsa and is situated on the slopes of Jeongto Mountain, also called Palbongsan or Jeongtochilbong. According to oral tradition, it was founded in 1299 by monk Damun Seonsa, but no historical records or other documents recording the temple's history remain, so this cannot be confirmed with certainty. The temple compound consists of the Yaksa-jeon, Gwaneum-jeon, Jonggak (bell tower), Chilseong-gak, and yosachae. There is also a stone standing Maitreya figure, a three-story stone pagoda, and a memorial stone. The Yaksa-jeon (medicine buddha hall) is a hip-and-gable roof structure, housing the principal clay Buddha statue and hanging paintings including the Yeongsan Hubultaeng, Jijang Taeng, and Sinjeung Taeng. The Gwaneum-jeon (Avalokiteshvara hall) has a hip roof on the front, serving as both a dharma hall and monks' quarters, and inside enshrines the Gwaneum figure and small Tathagata figures. Nearby attractions include Changdong Seowon, the stone standing Buddha of Baekun-am, Malmok-jeong and a persimmon tree, the birthplace of Jeon Bong-jun, and the Malmok Marketplace stele.