Hyangsansa Temple (Muju)

About this place

Hyangsansa Temple, located in the center of Muju town, is a Buddhist nunnery affiliated with Geumsansa Temple, the head temple of the 17th district of the Korean Buddhist Jogye Order. In 1936, the monk Seonpa rebuilt the dharma hall and enshrined Buddha, and in 1975 the monk Hyean reconstructed the main hall (Daeungjeon). The temple complex currently consists of the Daeungjeon, Nahanjeon (Arhat Hall), Sansindangak (Mountain God Shrine), Iljumun Gate, and monks' quarters, with a three-story stone pagoda in the courtyard — overall a simple and unpretentious temple. The Daeungjeon enshrines Shakyamuni Buddha as the principal object of veneration, flanked by Ksitigarbha and Avalokitesvara Bodhisattvas. The hanging paintings in the Daeungjeon — including the main painting behind the altar, the Chilseong (Seven Stars) painting, and the Sinjung (Dharma Protector) painting — were all created in 1924. The Nahanjeon enshrines Shakyamuni Buddha at the center of the Sumeru altar, surrounded by five large statues (ojonbul) and sixteen arhat statues.