Eunhaesa (Yeongcheon)

About this place

Eunhaesa, situated at the foot of Palgongsan in Cheongtong-myeon, Yeongcheon-si, is the head temple of the 10th diocese of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. It was founded in 809, the year King Heondeok of Silla ascended the throne, by the monk Hyecheol at Haeanpyeong, and was originally called Haeansa. King Heondeok took the throne after deposing his nephew, King Aejang. For this reason, Haeansa - the origin of Eunhaesa - was founded to console the departed souls who had perished amid the bloody political strife of the time, to aid the king's repentance, and further to pray for the peace of the nation and its people. Although Eunhaesa suffered no great damage during the Imjin War, in 1847 it experienced the largest fire since its founding. This blaze destroyed all of its more than one thousand kan of buildings except for Geungnakjeon. Afterward, funds were secured, and after some three years of Buddhist construction work, the reconstruction was completed in 1849. The buildings erected at that time included Daeungjeon, Hyangsil, Gogan, Simgeomdang, Seolseondang, Cheongpungnyo, Bohwaru, Onghomun, Anyangjeon, Dongbyeoldang, Manwoldang, Hyangjeokgak, and Gonggaekju; among them, the three great plaques of Daeungjeon, Bohwaru, and Bulgwang were inscribed with the calligraphy of Kim Jeong-hui. At present, only 19 buildings remain within the Eunhaesa head temple. Eunhaesa runs a templestay experience program where visitors can find rest amid history and nature, and, grounded in the teachings of the Buddha, it also devotes itself to educational outreach such as a leadership academy and a Buddhist college in order to build happy individuals and a happy society.