Hangwangsa Temple

About this place

Hangwangsa is the head temple of the Korean Buddhist Beopwang Order. It is said to have been founded by the Venerable Uisang during the reign of King Munmu of Silla, and was rebuilt and established as the head of the Beopwang Order by Venerable Myeongdo in 1958. Since then, the Daeungjeon (main hall), Geungnakjeon, and other structures have been added, and restoration work has been carried out on the three-story stone pagoda and stone seated Buddha on the grounds. Separate protective structures were built to enshrine the stone Buddha figures. The main hall complex includes the Daeungjeon, Geungnakjeon, Daejeokgwangjeon, Sansingak, Chilseonggak, and other halls, as well as a columbarium (Myeongbujeon), the Beopwang Order headquarters building, and residential quarters. The Daeungjeon is a five-bay-by-three-bay hip-and-gable roof building, with Amitabha Tathagata as the main deity flanked by Avalokitesvara and Ksitigarbha bodhisattvas. Buddhist paintings including a back altar painting, a water-moon Avalokitesvara, and a Shingjung painting are displayed. The temple preserves two National Treasures: the Yeongcheon Hwanam-dong Three-Story Stone Pagoda and the Hwanam-dong Stone Seated Buddha.