Jangansa () was a

Korean Buddhist temple Buddhist temples are an important part of the Korean landscape. Most Korean temples have names ending in ''-sa'' (), which means "monastery" in Sino-Korean vocabulary, Sino-Korean. Many temples participate in the Templestay program, where visitors ...

on Mount Geumgang (금강산,金剛山). This temple was one of the Four Great Temples of Mount Geumgang, along with Pyohunsa (), Singyesa (신계사, 神溪寺) and Yujomsa (). This temple is said to have been founded by monk Hyeryang during the reign of

Beopheung of Silla Beopheung (r. 514–540 AD) was the List of monarchs of Korea, 23rd monarch of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, Three Kingdoms of Korea. He was preceded by Jijeung of Silla, King Jijeung (r. 500–514) and succeeded by Jinheung of Sil ...

or during the reign of

Yangwon of Goguryeo Yangwon (538~559) (r. 545–559) was the 24th ruler of Goguryeo, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He was the eldest son of Anwon of Goguryeo. During Yangwon's reign, Goguryeo gradually grew weaker and was obliged to take various ...

Paintings (Joseon period)

Jangansa was depicted by many Korean painters. Among them: *

Jeong Seon Jeong Seon (; 1676 – 20 April 1759) was a Korean landscape painter, also known by the art names Gyeomjae and Nangok and courtesy name Wonbaek. His works include ink and oriental water paintings, such as ''Inwangjesaekdo'' (1751), ''Geumgang j ...

in the 《Sin-myo Year Pungakdo Album 辛卯年楓岳圖帖》, 1711, watercolor on silk, approximately 36×37.4 cm. *

Kim Hong-do Kim Hong-do (, 1745–) was a Korean painter during the Joseon dynasty. He is mostly remembered for his depictions of the everyday life of ordinary people, in a manner analogous to painters of the Dutch Golden Age painting, Dutch Golden Age. He ...

in the 《Geumgang Four Counties Album 금강사군첩(金剛四郡帖)》, 1788 *

Kim Ha-jong Kim Ha-jong (; 1793 – after 1875) was a Joseon court painter. His art name An art name (pseudonym or pen name), also known by its native names ''hào'' (in Mandarin Chinese), ''gō'' (in Japanese), ' (in Korean), and ''tên hiệu'' (in Vietn ...

in the 《Haesando Album 해산도첩(海山圖帖)》, 1815

Japanese colonial period

The volume 12 (1932) of the "Joseon historical site walk" contains several views of each temple around Mt. Geumgang, Jangansa among them. Taken during the Japanese colonial period by a well-known scholar, these pictures are precious since many of these buildings are no longer extant. Two of them are reproduced here.

Destruction

During the Korean war, the

Bombing of North Korea Following the Operation Pokpung, North Korean invasion of South Korea in June 1950, air forces of the United Nations Command began an extensive bombing campaign against North Korea that lasted until the end of the Korean War in July 1953. It was ...

dropped a total of 635,000 tons of bombs, including 32,557 tons of

napalm Napalm is an incendiary mixture of a gelling agent and a volatile petrochemical (usually gasoline or diesel fuel). The name is a portmanteau of two of the constituents of the original thickening and gelling agents: coprecipitated aluminium ...

, on Korea. "Every installation, facility, and village in North Korea ecamea military and tactical target", and the orders given to the Fifth Air Force and Bomber Command was to "destroy every means of communications and every installation, factory, city, and village". As a result, the whole site has been destroyed by the US bombings of the area. Unlike Singyesa, Jangansa was not rebuilt. The ruins are classified as the #96

National Treasure (North Korea) A National Treasure () is a tangible artifact, site, or building deemed by the Government of North Korea to have significant historical or artistic value to the country. History The first list of Korean cultural treasures was designated by Gover ...

Notes

References

* , 594 pages * * * The

page here is supposed to provide a fair English translation of this list. * . 10 volumes, 2800 pages. What is said about Jangansa can be accessed through thi
Naver link
(장안사터). {{Coord, 38.6135, 128.0671, display=title Former Buddhist temples in North Korea Mount Kumgang Former buildings and structures in North Korea