Unamsa (Mungyeong)

About this place

Unamsa is a branch temple of Jikjisa, the head temple of the 8th diocese of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, located near the summit of Jaeaksan Mountain in Buljeong-dong, Mungyeong-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do. It is said to have been founded by Uisang in 678 (the 17th year of King Munmu of Silla). After being burned to ruins during the Japanese Invasion of 1592 (the 25th year of King Seonjo of Joseon), it was restored by Yeongjun in 1658 (the 9th year of King Hyojong). Later, Haeteuk rebuilt the Geungnakjeon (Hall of Paradise) in 1666 (the 6th year of King Hyeonjong), Inwol renovated it in 1785 (the 9th year of King Jeongjo), and a large-scale reconstruction was carried out over four years beginning in 1972, bringing it to its present state. The current buildings include the Geungnakjeon, Sansingak (Mountain Spirit Shrine), Samseonggak (Three Saints Shrine), Anyangmun Gate, and monks' quarters. Among these, the Geungnakjeon is a building with a gable roof measuring three bays across the front and two bays on the side, and inside it enshrines the Amitabha Buddha triad. Among the relics, the stupa of Jeongwoldang, 81 cm high, and the stupa of Jeongbongdang, 107 cm high, survive. Both are bell-shaped stone stupas and works of the late Joseon period. Located 1.3 km from the entrance of the village, not a great distance but reached by climbing Jaeaksan somewhat steeply to near the mountain's summit, Unamsa is a place where one should drink the spring water upon entering. This is because the water here is renowned for being efficacious and delicious, so much so that Jaeaksan is also called Yaksusan (Medicinal Water Mountain). Moreover, the name of the village at the entrance of Unamsa, Buljeong (Buddha Well), also arose because of its good water. Upon entering Buljeong-dong, a monument explaining the origin of the village name stands before a 300-year-old zelkova tree, the village's protected tree. Long ago, there was a monk practicing asceticism at a small hermitage near the house of a man named Geosin who lived in this village. One day, when the well of the hermitage dried up, he thought it strange and, looking around the vicinity, discovered a spring from which clear, clean water gushed forth. When he looked inside the spring, a stone Buddha was sitting in the middle, so he moved the stone Buddha to the hermitage and enshrined it, and from then on this spring was called the Buddha Spring.