While today’s Korea is largely non-religious and contains a fairly large portion of Christians, Buddhism remains one of the most-practiced religious faiths and has historically been dominant. As a result of this history, long-established and well-known Buddhist temples of all sizes can be found throughout the country – if you’re willing to make the trip.
We visited several Buddhist temples during our time in Korea, and will highlight two impressive ones in Busan here:
Seokbulsa – Cliffside Carvings and City Views
First up is Seokbulsa – or Seokbul Temple, “sa” means “temple” in Korean – a temple built into sandstone cliffs on Mt. Geumjeong, the highest mountain in Busan. The temple was originally constructed in 1930, and its name literally translates to “Stone Buddha Temple” in English.
Reaching Seokbulsa is not for the feint of heart; as you have to climb a few kilometers up the mountainside in order to reach it – the last 600 meters is a particularly tough uphill zigzag – but once you’re there, the effort is worth it.
The front side of the temple offers amazing views of the entire valley leading towards Busan. There are some wooden structures built in this area, as well as the 4 Buddhist Instruments:
However, the real highlight comes when you pass through two buildings up a staircase leading to the inner sanctum. Here you’re greeted with an open area, and several (27 to be exact) stone relief carvings in the cliffs. In front of the main altar are four 10 meter tall carvings, and leading up the staircase into the mountain are various smaller carved images.
This is an impressive and truly unique sight to see in Korea – moreover, given the relative difficulty in reaching the temple you’re less likely to deal with tourist crowds. We actually had the whole place to ourselves for about 15 minutes during our visit. Magical!
Haedong Yonggungsa – An Ancient Temple by the Sea
From one of the lesser-known temples to maybe the most well-known temple in Busan – Haedong Yonggungsa was originally constructed in 1376 on the coastline near Busan. The version that exists today was reconstructed in 1930.
This large complex is actually one of just a few temples in Korea located on a coastline, making it unique. The temple is dedicated to the Sea Goddess Buddha of Mercy.
The location and unique nature of this temple make it a popular tourist destination, but it certainly lives up to the hype. This is another place photos don’t really do justice to – the grandeur truly must be seen to be believed – but we try!
