Bonghwa Cheongnyangsa Temple (청량사)

Located in Cheongnyangsan Mountain Provincial Park, Cheongnyangsa Temple was built by the great monk Wonhyo in 663, the 3rd year of King Munmu of the Silla Kingdom. According to the principles of feng shui, the area is an ideal place for a temple – with the 12 mountain peaks surrounding the temple like the petals of a lotus flower.

The temple is home to two precious historical remains; one is the board of Yuribojeon that King Gongmin of Goryeo wrote upon and the other is Jibul. Yuribojeon is the building where Yaksa-yorae-bul (the Medicine Buddha Statute) is housed and Jibul is a Buddha statute made of paper that was painted with gold.

At the back of the temple is Bosalbong Peak looking out towards Cheongnyangsan Mountain. A 30-minute walk along the hiking trail will lead the hikers to Eungjinjeon, a hermitage with a beautiful view where the great monk Wonhyo once stayed. Behind Eungjinjeon stands Geumtapbong Peak and the sheer cliffs below. The peak was named Geumtapbong (meaning ‘golden pagoda’ in Korean) since it looks like a nine-story pagoda with pine trees growing around the base. In the autumn, the beautiful red, gold and orange hues of the maple trees are a true sight to behold.