Iksan Jeseoksa Temple Site

About this place

This is the site of Jeseoksa, a Baekje-period temple. The Jeseoksa site is related to the Wanggung-ri site, which may shed light on the theory that the Baekje capital was relocated to Iksan during the reign of King Mu. According to the Gwanseum-eungheopgi (Record of Manifestations of Guanyin), Jeseoksa was founded during the reign of Baekje King Mu; in the 40th year of his reign (639 AD), it was struck by lightning and burned down, but the Buddha relics and a lacquer box containing the Diamond Sutra that had been placed beneath the pagoda were preserved, and the temple was rebuilt to enshrine them. A 1993 partial investigation confirmed the foundations of a wooden pagoda, a main hall, and a lecture hall, and roof tiles inscribed with the characters 'Jeseoksa' were unearthed. Although only the site remains, this is one of the few surviving Baekje temple sites and provides precious historical data.