Wondengsa Temple (Wanju)

About this place

Wanju Wondengsa Temple, a branch temple of Geumsansa — the head temple of the 17th district of the Jogye Order — is situated on the mid-slopes of Wondengsan Mountain. According to an uncertain tradition, it was founded by Venerable Jinmuk to enshrine 500 Nahan (Arhat). The current main hall was built in August 1956, a three-bay-front, two-bay-deep structure. Wondengsa is said to be an ancient temple of about 1,200 years; halfway up the mountain there is also a meditation retreat (togul) where Venerable Jinmuk reportedly practiced Chan. The Imjin War reduced it to ruins; Venerable Jinmuk, while at Wolmyeongam Hermitage in Byeonsan, looked east and saw a distant light, and after walking 100 ri to find its source, discovered it was a stone lantern still shining at the site of Wondengsa. Knowing the land to be sacred, Venerable Jinmuk rebuilt it and named it Wondengsa — 'far-shining lantern' — after the distant lantern that led him there. Later the temple was completely burned during the anti-partisan operations of the Korean War; starting in 1985, the third founding master Suryeon rebuilt the cave hall and Myeongbujeon, and in 1989 the cave hall was enshrined with 500 Nahan statues.