Inchwisa Temple (Asan)

About this place

Inchwisa is a venerable temple situated on the eastern slope of Hakseongsan Mountain (184.2 m). It is said to have been founded during the reign of King Beopheung of Silla in the 6th century. The temple maintained a sizeable scale through the mid-Joseon period, but later shrank in size and now serves as a branch temple of Magoksa in Gongju. Within the precinct, cultural assets including a stone pagoda and a stone Amitabha triad that are designated Chungcheongnam-do cultural heritage materials remain. The stone pagoda in particular follows the style of the Goryeo period, attesting that this temple existed at least as far back as the Goryeo era. Inchwisa is also renowned for its white lotus flowers (baengnyeon). It is said that 'no one sees them only once' — their beauty filling the temple each midsummer is extraordinary. An Inchwisa variety of white lotus exists, named after the temple, and it has spread throughout the country. The Inchwisa white lotus is prized for its deep fragrance in both leaves and petals, and is widely used for lotus-petal tea and pickled lotus dishes.