Bongeunsa is a Buddhist temple in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It was first founded in 794 during the reign of King Wonseong by the monk Yeon-hoe, then the highest ranking monk of Silla, and originally named Kyongseoungsa. It is located on the slope of Sudo Mountain in Samseong-dong, across the street from the COEX Mall.
Bongeunsa is a city temple oriented towards being a “place of practice for study, prayer, and engagement in the neighborhood.” The temple is actively engaging in dharma talks, practice training, education of the laity, Buddhist propagation, and social welfare programs. Although its traditional appearance has been somewhat shadowed by the surrounding high-rises of Seoul, Bongeunsa is still spreading the immemorial fragrance of the Buddha Dharma, worthy of its 1,200 year old history. In the modern era, the temple has been striving to be a leader of Korean Buddhism.
As a 1,200 year old temple, Bongeunsa has a variety of large and small buildings; the Main Buddha Hall, the Ksitigarbha Hall (Jijangjeon), the Grdhrakuta Hall (Yeongsanjeon), the Sutra Hall (Panjeon), the Maitreya Hall (Mireukjeon), the Yeonggak Hall, the Hall of Searching the Sword of Wisdom (Simgeomdang), the Hall of Selecting Buddha (Seonbuldang), the Unhadang Hall, and the Bowudang Hall.
The temple is also a notable tourist destination, offering a “Temple Stay Program” in which visitors can lead the life of a monk for a few hours.
Contact :
Samsung-dong
Gangnam-gu Seoul 135-090
Tel: +82 (0)2 545 1448
Fax: 82-2-544-2141
Website : www.bongeunsa.org
