Dorisa Temple (Gumi)

About this place

Dorisa Temple is believed to be the birthplace of Buddhism in Korea and the first Buddhist temple in Silla, founded by the Goguryeo monk Ado Hwasang during the reign of Silla's 19th king, Nulji (417 AD), to propagate Buddhism where none yet existed. According to tradition, while Ado Hwasang was searching for a suitable place of practice, he found peach and plum blossoms in full bloom even in winter, recognising it as an auspicious site. With the patronage of the householder Morye, he built a temple here and named it Dorisa after the peach (do) and plum (ri) blossoms. In 1976, during repair work on the Sejon Relics Pagoda, a gilt-bronze hexagonal relics container holding the authentic Buddha relics that Ado Hwasang had brought to Silla was discovered. The gilt-bronze relics container is estimated to date from the mid-8th century and is designated National Treasure No. 208, currently on deposit at Jikjisa's Sacred Treasure Museum. Among the temple's cultural properties are the Hwaeom Stone Pagoda (designated Treasure), a statue of Ado Hwasang (erected 2002), the Sejon Relics Pagoda, the Ado Hwasang Historical Stele, and late-Joseon Buddhist hanging paintings.