Final Up to date on ninth April 2024 by Sophie Nadeau
Mesmerising and perched atop of white cliff faces that overlook the crashing waves beneath, South Korea’s most lovely temple is commonly mentioned to be Haedong Yonggungsa. A spot the place you may watch the dawn and take heed to the tranquil circulation of the ocean, or rub the bellies of golden pigs for success.
Right here’s easy methods to go to Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, in addition to what to know earlier than you go.
What’s Haedong Yonggungsa?
Haedong Yonggungsa Temple is one among three sacred locations associated to the Goddess of Buddha of Korea. It’s utterly free to go to the temple and it’s price noting that what makes this advanced so distinctive is that it’s positioned by the ocean, whereas most temples in Korea will be discovered within the mountains.
The place is Haedong Yonggungsa?
The temple is positioned inside the limits of the town of Busan, which is the second largest metropolis in South Korea and the advanced itself is round an hour’s bus journey away, to the east of the central prepare station.
Should you go to in the course of the spring then you may anticipate finding a street full of dreamy cherry blossoms which lead towards’s the temple’s entrance. Simply earlier than you get to the doorway you’ll discover plenty of stalls promoting varied avenue meals and drinks.
The perfect views of the advanced will be discovered on the base of the steps near sea stage on a rocky outcrop. Many individuals say that, because of the gentle, one of the best time to go to the temple is in the course of the morning. We personally visited in the course of the afternoon and nonetheless discovered the advanced to be merely beautiful!
Is Haedong Yonggungsa Temple price visiting?
To place merely, sure! It’s possible you’ll assume you’ve seen all of the temples after seeing a handful of them, however for a very completely different visiting expertise, significantly with the distinctive setting of this temple, it’s completely price making a visit to.
A historical past of the Temple
Haedong Yonggung Temple, 해동 용궁사, has fairly a complicated historical past, with no precise recorded fact to when it got here to be. With claims that the foundations of the advanced date again to 1376, this has apparently since been confirmed to be unfaithful.
In response to the legends, Naong Hyegeun (a royal marketing consultant in the course of the Goryeo Dynasty) had a dream that the Divine Sea god of the East Sea got here to him, instructing him to construct a temple atop of Mount Bongnae. There’s little or no proof to recommend this occurred, however arguably there’s additionally none to recommend it didn’t…
As what appears to occur with most temples in Korea, the temple has been broken and rebuilt a number of occasions through the years. Sadly, it was largely destroyed in the course of the Japanese invasion of Korea from 1592-1598. (If there was a temple that’s, we’re nonetheless uncertain?!) After this, it remained deserted for a few years.
It was’t till the early Thirties, when the temple was constructed upon and re-established by a gaggle of monks from Tongdosa. So, the vast majority of the buildings you see right this moment largely date again to the start of the twentieth century. Every part within the temple advanced feels pretty new, however is all long-established in a standard fashion.
Initially named Bomun Temple, it was devoted to the Goddess of compassion. At present, upon visiting, you may see the big and spectacular statue of her which dominates the skyline above the temple.
The temple was them renamed in 1974 after the pinnacle monk on the time, Jeong-am, skilled a imaginative and prescient of the Goddess of mercy driving a dragon. Giving the temple the title we all know it by now, Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, which interprets as ‘Dragon Palace Temple of the Sea’.
The temple is taken into account to be one of the vital lovely in South Korea. Uncommon in each its setting and the deities through which the temple is dedicated to, it continues to captivate all those that go to, with beautiful ocean views and the intricate element and design of the temple advanced.
A go to to the Temple
Visiting the temple is among the greatest issues to do in Busan. All in all I’d say that you must permit no less than an hour or two to go to the temple. There isn’t a entrance price to go to, however make sure to put on acceptable clothes. There’s no guidelines as such, however it’s thought-about respectful temple-wear (and at all times appreciated) to put on clothes that covers your shoulders and knees.
12 Zodiac Signal statues
As soon as contained in the advanced, you’ll be greeted by plenty of statues together with the 12 Chinese language zodiac indicators and my explicit favorite, a cat bench!
Pagoda
This spectacular seven-storey Pagoda is located on the finish of the road of statues. On the base of the pagoda you’ll see a prayer spot beside a duplicate of a automobile wheel, it is a spot the place individuals can pray for site visitors security and the avoidance of automobile accidents.
108 steps to succeed in the temple
It’s then time to descend the of the numerous steps (108 to be exact, which is an auspicious quantity in Buddhism, referring to the 108 earthly temptations). It will take you in direction of sea stage the place you’ll discover the Dawn Platform, and as its title suggests that is the proper spot to observe the solar rise over the ocean horizon. It’s additionally the place you may get pleasure from a spectacular view of the temple in all its glory!
Coin Divination
This space is a bit bridge which stretches from one facet of the advanced to the opposite. From this bridge, you may spy plenty of statues. Right here individuals toss cash on the statues within the water beneath with various success. In hopes to make a want, it’s mentioned that in case your coin lands in one of many stone mugs then your want will come true.
Golden Pigs
Rub them for good luck! Thought to carry you success and wealth, you can provide these cute little pigs a rub on the cheek and see for your self.
Daeungjeon Foremost Corridor
The principle temple space, which was solely inbuilt 1970, is presided over by the central Daeungjeon Foremost Corridor. You may go to the within areas, all of that are intricately embellished and adorned with vibrant colors and element, in reality the extra you look the extra you see!
Laughing Buddha
Proper subsequent to Daeungjeon Foremost Corridor you’ll discover a golden laughing buddha statue, which is a well-liked photograph spot for lots of vacationers who go to the temple.
Much like the golden pig statues, this laughing buddha is taken into account to be a logo of fine luck, happiness, and success.
How you can get there
The temple advanced is free to go to. Open each day from 5am-7:30pm, it’s potential to observe the dawn in case you time it proper! As talked about, there are a number of meals distributors simply earlier than you head in to the temple the place you may seize a snack and chunk to eat, they often favor fee in money right here.
From Busan: You may take the 1001 bus from straight in entrance of the primary prepare station. It will take round an hour and ten minutes. You need to pay in actual change for the bus. From the cease, it’s then a ten-minute stroll by means of a cherry blossom lined alleyway to succeed in the temple.
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Charlotte is a photographer, cat lover and an avid knitter. When she’s not curled up on the couch along with her latest knitting challenge (and Rico her cat!) you’ll find her out and about on lengthy walks. At the moment residing within the magical metropolis of Edinburgh, she appears to be like ahead to travelling and seeing extra of the world!