Ssangbongsa, or Ssangbong Temple, is part of the

Jogye Order The Jogye Order, officially the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism (대한불교조계종, 大韓佛敎曹溪宗), is the representative order of traditional Korean Buddhism with roots that date back 1200 years to the Later Silla National Master Do ...

of Korean Buddhism located in rural Jeung Village, Iyang Township,

Hwasun County Hwasun County (화순군; ''Hwasun-gun'') is a county in South Jeolla Province, South Korea. Symbol * County Flower : Wild Chrysanthemum * County Tree : Zelkova Tree * County Bird : Dove Columbidae () is a bird family consisting of doves a ...

South Jeolla Province South Jeolla Province (; ''Jeollanam-do''; ), also known as Jeonnam, is a province of South Korea. South Jeolla has a population of 1,902,324 (2014) and has a geographic area of located in the Honam region at the southwestern tip of the Korean ...

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eas ...

Origins

Ssangbongsa was established by Zen Priest Cheolgam in 868 during the

Unified Silla Unified Silla, or Late Silla (, ), is the name often applied to the Korean kingdom of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, after 668 CE. In the 7th century, a Silla–Tang alliance conquered Baekje and the southern part of Goguryeo in the ...

era. 'Ssang' means twin and 'Bong' means peak so Ssangbongsa derives its name from the pair of twin peaks on the mountain behind the temple.

Treasures

Cheolgam Stupa

Cheolgam Stupa is an ornate octagonal stupa from the Unified Silla era that is an example of one of the finest stupas in Korea. The stupa stands at the back of a hill of to the west of the main Ssangbongsa grounds. Cheolgam was born Park Do-yun and used the pen name Ssangbong. He was born at Hyuam in 789 to a powerful local family. In 815, at the age of 17, Cheolgam enters the priesthood at Gwisinsa, located on Mount Moak in Gimje, one of the Hwaeom ten-temples, where he studies the Hwaeomgyeong Sutra for 10 years. In 825, Cheolgam travels to

Tang Dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdom ...

to study under the Bowon Namjeon. After Namjeon passes away, Cheolgam remains for 13 more years before returning to Silla. He stays shortly at Jangdamsa, located on Mount Geumgang, before moving to Ssangbongsa in 855 where he passes away in 868. Cheolgam's Stupa is

National Treasure The idea of national treasure, like national epics and national anthems, is part of the language of romantic nationalism, which arose in the late 18th century and 19th centuries. Nationalism is an ideology that supports the nation as the funda ...

#57.

Cheolgam Monument

Cheolgam Monument records the high priest's work from birth to death. Monuments normally are built besides stupas and consist of a base shaped like a turtle, a tombstone, and a cap stone. This granite monument stands beside the Cheolgam Stupa, but only the base shaped like a turtle and a head, without the tombstone, remain. The base, with a cloud-pattern and upside-down 32 lotus leaves engraved in a typical Unified Silla, stands 1.4m/4.6 ft high. In the center of turtle's back is a place, for the tombstone, in the shape of a rectangle. Chinese characters show that this is Cheolgam's Monument. Cheolgam Monument is Treasure #170.

Features

Wooden Three Story Pagoda at Ssangbongsa

Daeungjeon A Mahavira Hall, usually simply known as a Main Hall, is the main hall or building in a traditional Chinese Buddhist temple, enshrining representations of Gautama Buddha and various other buddhas and bodhisattvas. It is encountered throughout ...

is a hall having a Seokgayeorae (a figure of Buddha). Most Daeungjeon house Hyeopsi Bosal, Munsu Bosal, Boyeon Bosal or Gwanuem Bosal and Mireuk Bosal. However, Ssangbongsa's Daeungjeon has only Ananjonja and Gaseopjonja, Buddha's disciples in addition to Seokgayeorae. Until recently, there were only two wooden pagodas remaining, preserved in Korea as cultural heritage objects - the

Palsangjeon Palsangjeon (Hall of Eight Pictures) is a worship hall found at a Korean Buddhist temple complex that contains the "Palsang", the series of painted murals depicting the eight stages in the life of the historic Buddha, Sakyamuni. Though configur ...

(hall) at the

Beopjusa Beopjusa ( ko, 법주사 or Beopju temple) is a head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. It is situated on the slopes of Songnisan, within Songnisan National Park, in Naesongni-myeon, Boeun County, in the province of Chungcheongbuk-do, S ...

and the

(hall) here at the Ssangbongsa. Daeungjeon at Ssangbongsa is a square-shaped three-story building that was built in the middle of the

Joseon Dynasty Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and r ...

. This is a very rare style of wooden pagoda found in Korea, along with

, Mireukjeon in

Gimje Gimje () (''Gimje-si'') is a city in North Jeolla Province, South Korea. History The Gimje area is located on the "great plains" of Korea and has been cultivated since ancient times. Nations of early date ascended in the year 200. The Baekje Kingd ...

North Jeolla Province North Jeolla Province (; ''Jeollabuk-do''), also known as Jeonbuk, is a province of South Korea. North Jeolla has a population of 1,869,711 (2015) and has a geographic area of 8,067 km2 (3,115 sq mi) located in the Honam region in the southwes ...

, and the three-story wooden pagoda at Botapsa in

Jincheon County Jincheon County (''Jincheon-gun'') is a county in Chungcheongbuk-do (North Chungcheong) Province, South Korea. Location Jincheon belongs to the middle of Chungcheongbuk-do. It borders several cities of its province but also meets Gyeonggi-do. Th ...

North Chungcheong Province North Chungcheong Province ( ko, 충청북도, ''Chungcheongbuk-do''), also known as Chungbuk, is a province of South Korea. North Chungcheong has a population of 1,578,934 (2014) and has a geographic area of located in the Hoseo region in the s ...

. Daeungjeon at Ssangbongsa is used as the main worship hall. A worshiper celebrating

Buddha's Birthday Buddha's Birthday (also known as Buddha Jayanti, also known as his day of enlightenment – Buddha Purnima, Buddha Pournami) is a Buddhist festival that is celebrated in most of East Asia and South Asia commemorating the birth of the Prince ...

tripped over a candle in Ssangbongsa Daeungjeon accidentally burning down in 1984. Daeungjeon was subsequently rebuilt.

Gallery

File:Ssangbongsa Cheolgam Seontap 11-05224.JPG, Cheolgam's Stupa is National Treasure #57. File:Ssangbongsa Stele of Cheongam Seonsatap 11-05226.JPG, Cheolgam Monument is Treasure #170. File:Ssangbongsa Iljumun 11-05144.JPG, Ssangbongsa Iljumun (One Pillar Gate). File:Ssangbongsa 11-05168.JPG, One of the worship halls. File:Ssangbongsa 11-05182.JPG, One of the worship halls. File:Ssangbongsa Daeungjeon11-05205.JPG, Ssangbongsa Daeungjeon. File:Ssangbongsa Iljumun 11-05274.JPG, Dancheong on Ssangbongsa's Iljumun File:Ssangbongsa Daeungjeon 11-05167.JPG, Ssangbongsa Daeungjeon Interior.

References

{{Reflist Buddhist temples of the Jogye Order Buddhist temples in South Korea Buildings and structures in South Jeolla Province Hwasun County