Heukseoksa Temple (Yeongju)

About this place

Heukseoksa Temple, a Jogye Order temple in Seokpo-ri, Isan-myeon, Yeongju-si, is said to have been founded by the Venerable Uisang during the Unified Silla period. It burned down during the Imjin War and remained in ruins; after Liberation it was rebuilt by monk Kim Sangho using timber transported from Choamsa Temple on Sobaek Mountain. The temple's name derives from a huge black rock behind the village of Heukseok near the temple, or alternatively from the generally dark color of the surrounding rocks. The temple's main hall complex includes Geungnakjeon, Bogung, monastic quarters, Simgeomdang, Hwanhijeon, temple office, and residential quarters. Geungnakjeon is a three-bay-by-three-bay building with a column-top-only bracket (jusimpo) gabled roof, enshrining a triads of Amitabha as the National Treasure wooden seated Amitabha statue. This statue was originally at Beopcheonsa Temple on Jeongam Mountain and was moved there during the Korean War; Buddhist relics including a reliquary inscription, merit merit document, four types of printed texts, textiles, and other relics were discovered inside the statue and it was designated a National Treasure. The temple also holds a rock-carved triad Buddha carved on a natural rock face.