Daegyeonsa Temple

Daegyeonsa Temple, whose name means 'to see greatly, feel greatly, and awaken greatly,' is a temple at the summit of Biseulsan Mountain in Daegu Metropolitan City and a branch temple of Donghwasa Temple of the 9th district of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. Daegyeonsa is a thousand-year-old Silla temple founded during the reign of King Heondeok in the early late Silla period. The founders appear to have been King Heondeok and his queen, and it is known as the temple where Master Iryeon, author of the Samguk Yusa, came as his first abbacy at age 22 after taking first place in the monastic examination in 1227, and resided for 22 years, collecting materials and conceiving the Samguk Yusa. However, this temple too was abandoned during the Imjin War, then greatly rebuilt twice—in 1611 (3rd year of Gwanghaegun) and the 11th year of King Injo—entering its heyday. But entering the 18th century it again fell into abandonment. In 1900 Yi Jae-in rebuilt it to celebrate the enthronement of Prince Yeongchin, but it began to be demolished in 1908, and in June 1917 when the 'Government-General of Joseon Gazette' announced 'Daegyeonsa is abolished,' only the site remained, and at the ruined site only a three-story stone pagoda precariously stood, so it was once called 'Daegyeonsa-ji.' Then, Dalseong County and Donghwasa of the Jogye Order began reconstruction of Daegyeonsa in November 2011, and in March 2014 four buildings—Jeokmyeolbogung, Yosachae, Sanshingak, and a wooden tile-roofed house—were completed. Thus Daegyeonsa was restored about 100 years after its abolition.

Among the temples located above 1,000 m along with Bongjeongam Hermitage on Seoraksan and Beopgyesa Temple on Jirisan, it is called Jeokmyeolbogung because it enshrines the true relics of the Buddha rather than a Buddha statue. The true relics enshrined at Daegyeonsa were those that Donghwasa received as a gift of one portion of the Buddha's true relics kept at Kurukude Temple in Sri Lanka in November 2013 and transported here. These true relics are one of four portions kept at Dowa Temple in Sri Lanka since 103 AD and enshrined at Kurukude Temple since 1881.
Located at the summit of Biseulsan Mountain, in spring the royal azalea colony of Biseulsan is in full bloom, creating a spectacular sight.

Details

Admission fee

Free

Restroom

Yes