Yongmunsa (Yecheon)

About this place

Yongmunsa is a branch temple of Jikjisa, the head temple of the 8th diocese of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. It is said to have been founded in 870 (the 10th year of King Gyeongmun of Silla) by the monk Duun. When Wang Geon, King Taejo of Goryeo, was descending to conquer Silla, he visited this temple, but the mist was so thick that he could not tell what was right before him; from somewhere two blue dragons appeared and guided the way, and so the temple was called 'Yongmunsa' (Dragon Gate Temple). It was renamed 'Yongmunsa Changgisa' during the reign of King Myeongjong of Goryeo, but after the placenta chamber of Queen Soheon, consort of King Sejong of Joseon, was enshrined here, it was renamed Seongbulsa Yongmunsa; during the reign of King Jeongjo, the placenta chamber of Crown Prince Munhyo was placed here and it was renamed Sobaeksan Yongmunsa, as it is called today. Within the grounds are Daejangjeon, Eungjinjeon, Myeongbujeon, Jinyeongdang, Iljumun, Jaunru, and the Seongbo Museum; the Seongbo Museum houses about ten sacred cultural properties, including the only surviving yunjangdae (rotating sutra case) in Korea. The wooden relief painting created during the reign of King Sukjong of Joseon is also known to be the oldest of its kind in Korea. In particular, it is said that turning the yunjangdae, which stores the Tripitaka woodblocks, extinguishes worldly desires, accumulates merit, and fulfills wishes, so worshippers have visited without cease since ancient times.