Woljeongsa

This article is about the temple in Mt. Odaesan, South Korea. For the temple in Mt. Kuwolsan, North Korea, see Woljongsa (Anak).

Woljeongsa
월정사
View of Woljeongsa Temple in South Korea
Religion
Affiliation	Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism
Location
Location	374-8, Odaesan-ro, Jinbu-myeon, Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do
Country	South Korea
Shown within South Korea
Coordinates	37°43′53.7″N 128°35′33.2″E

Woljeongsa (Korean: 월정사; Hanja: 月精寺) is a head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, located on the slopes of Odaesan in Pyeongchang County, Gangwon Province, South Korea. It was founded in 643 by the Silla monk Jajang.

History

Woljeongsa was established by Jajang Yulsa (Korean: 자장율사; Hanja: 慈藏律師) in 643. Jajang went to China to study and had an audience with the manifestation of Manjusri Bodhisattva at Taihe Lake in Shanxi Province. Manjusri then gave Jajang some of the Buddha's cremains, his robe and alms bowl and told him to return to Silla. The bodhisattva said he would meet Jajang again on Mt. Odaesan (五臺山), located northeast of Gyeongju. Upon his return to Korea, Jajang went to (current) Odaesan and built a temporary hut. He prayed in this hut to meet the manifestation of Manjusri again but was not successful because inclement weather lasted for three days.

Later, Sinhyo Geosa, a layman known to be the reincarnation of Learned-Youth Bodhisattva, resided there and cultivated his Buddhist practice. Ven. Sinui, a disciple of National Preceptor Beomil Guksa, built a small hut on the site where Jajang Yulsa had built his and also resided there. After Sinui died, the hut fell into ruin. When Ven. Yuyeon of Sudasa Temple built a hermitage on this site, it finally gained stature as a proper temple.

In 1307, the temple burnt to the ground and Ven. I-il rebuilt it. In 1833, it burnt down again and Ven. Yeongdam and Jeong-am rebuilt it in 1844. During the Korean War, general Walton Walker and Kim Baek-il ordered the temple to be burnt down for strategic purposes. After Ven. Tanheo reconstructed Jeokgwangjeon in 1964, Ven. Manhwa continued the reconstruction.

Cultural properties

Woljeongsa has many cultural properties. Representative cultural properties include the national treasures Stone Seated Bodhisattva and Octagonal Nine-Story Stone Pagoda.

Stone Seated Bodhisattva

Stone Seated Bodhisattva

In front of the Octagonal Nine-Story Stone Pagoda, there is a 1.8 meter statue of a Bodhisattva, probably Medicine Buddha, made in the 11th century. Said to have been found in the Diamond Pond to the south of the temple, the statue is offering to an unknown figure. The statue currently in front of the pagoda is a 2008 replica and the original is stored in the Seongbo Museum.

Bodhisattva statues in front of pagodas are characteristic of the early Goryeo period and not found in other countries. Also, they are usually found in Gangwon-do, which is important for the study of regional Goryeo Buddhist sculptures. Thus, it was promoted to national treasure in 2017 after being designated as treasure no. 139.

Octagonal Nine-Story Stone Pagoda

Octagonal Nine-Story Stone Pagoda

The Octagonal Nine-Story Stone Pagoda, constructed in the 12th century, is a polygonal stone pagoda standing 15 meters high. It was designated as a national treasure in 1962 because it is representative of the multi-storied pagodas popular during the early Goryeo period, especially in the northern regions.

Relics were discovered inside the pagoda in 1970 when the pagoda was dismantled and restored. Total 12 pieces of 9 types (e.g. silver-gilt standing Buddha statue), most of them were made in the 10th and 11th century. They were designated as treasure in 2003 because of their importance in studying the metal craft of early Goryeo.

List of cultural properties in Woljeongsa & Seongbo Museum

National Treasures

• No. 48-1 Octagonal Nine-Story Stone Pagoda of Woljeongsa Temple
• No. 48-2 Stone Seated Bodhisattva
• No. 292 Documents of Sangwonsa Temple

Treasures

• No. 793 Excavated Relics from the Wooden Seated Child Manjusri of Sangwonsa Temple
• No. 1375 Reliquaries from the Octagonal Nine-story Stone Pagoda of Woljeongsa Temple
• No. 1812 Excavated Documents from Wooden Seated Manjusri Bodhisattva of Sangwonsa Temple

Gangwon Tangible Cultural Property

• No. 28 Hall of Sublime Equanimity in Woljeongsa Temple
• No. 53 Statue of 6-hands Avalokitesvara in Woljeongsa Temple
• No. 54 Tripitaka Koreana
• No. 130 Wooden Seated Statue of Buddha and Excavated Relics in Youngheungsa Temple
• No. 131 Wooden Seated Statue of Buddha and Excavated Relics in Gounam, North hermitage in Woljeongsa Temple
• No. 132 Wooden Seated Statue of Amitabha Buddha and Excavated Relics in Unheungsa Temple
• No. 133 Dharma Bell in Yongdasa Temple
• No. 134 Hanging Scroll of Vairocana Buddha behind the Buddha in Youngwonsa Temple
• No. 135 Buddhist Painting of Buddha giving a sermon in Youngwonsa Temple
• No. 136 Tripitaka Painting and excavated relics in Guryongsa Temple
• No. 137 Buddhist Painting of Avalokitesvra in Unsuam Hermitage
• No. 138 Buddhist Painting of 1,000 Dragons in Unheungsa Temple
• No. 139 Hanging Scroll behind the Buddha and Excavated Relics in the Hall of Sa-seung (four saints), Bodeoksa Temple
• No. 140 Painting of National Preceptor Beomil Jinyoung in Youngeunsa Temple

Gangwon Cultural Property

• No. 141 Painting of Great Seon Master Samyeongdang Jinyoung

• No. 169 Wooden Seated Ksitigarbha and Excavated Relics in Jijangam Hermitage in Samcheok City
• No. 170 Shakyamuni triad and excavated relics in Youngeunsa Temple, Samcheok City
• No. 42 Buddha-stupas in Woljeongsa Temple
• No. 134 Odaesan Jungdae Bulryangmun (Book that recorded the list of donors both monastics and laypeople for building the Hall of Sublime Equanimity in the late-Joseon period)
• No. 135 Odaesan Jungdae Bulryang Gyewonsubomun (Record of the list of items in the Hall of Sublime Equanimity made when transferring the hermitage in charge of management to another one)
• No. 157 Stone Seated Statue of Buddha in Bodeoksa Temple
• No. 158 Milbu in Woljengsa Temple
• No. 159 Documents in Odaesan Mountain Historic Archive

National Folklore Cultural Heritage

• No. 219 Woman’s Ornamental Jacket Worn During the Reign of King Sejo

National Registered Cultural Heritage

• No. 645 Outer Vestment Worn by Monk Hanam

Other facilities

• The Seongbo Museum opened in 1999 to manage the cultural properties of 60 temples belonging to the 4th parish of the Jogye Order.
• There is a fir forest around the temple.
• Woljeongsa offers temple stay programs where visitors can experience Buddhist culture.

Gallery

• 
  Tunnel of lanterns at Woljeongsa's entrance
• 
  Woljeongsa's Octagonal Nine Story Stone Pagoda stands in front of the main worship hall
• 
  Stone Lantern at Woljeongsa
• 
  Worship halls at Woljeongsa, located on the eastern slopes of Odaesan
• 
  Ceiling of the entrance gate at Woljeongsa
• 
  One of the entrance gates at Woljeongsa
• 
  Buddha in one of the worship halls at Woljeongsa
• 
  Image in relief on one of the entry gates at Woljeongsa
• 
  Wolijeongsa is composed of 60 temples buildings and 8 hermitages

See also

• Korean architecture
• Korean Buddhist temples

External links

• Woljeongsa Official website
• KoreaTemple profile