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35-473: Yujŏm-sa is a Korean Buddhist temple located on Mount Kumgang , North Korea . Founded under the kingdom of Silla , it underwent many successive restorations before being destroyed by American forces during the Korean War . Yujom Temple was founded in the 6th century under the fervently Buddhist kingdom of Silla . It underwent a major enlargement in 1168 under Emperor Uijong of Koryo , and again in

70-618: A Buddhist place of worship is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article related to religion in Korea is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Korean Buddhist temple Buddhist temples are an important part of the Korean landscape. Most Korean temples have names ending in -sa ( Korean :  사 ; Hanja :  寺 ), which means "monastery" in Sino-Korean . Many temples participate in

105-596: A strike with 5,000 cavalrymen to attack Kyon's troops on the way back home at Gongsan near Daegu in the Battle of Gongsan. He met the Later Baekje army and suffered a disastrous defeat, losing most of his army including his generals Kim Nak and Sin Sung-gyom , the very same man who crowned Wang as a king. According to the legend, Taejo and Sin Sung-gyom exchanged their armor so that the king would be able to escape

140-541: A successful campaign against local clans and the army of Later Baekje in the Chungju area, gaining more fame and recognition from the king. In 903, he led a famous naval campaign against the southwestern coastline of Later Baekje at Keumsung, later Naju, while Kyon Hwon was at war against Silla. He led several more military campaigns, and also helped conquered people who lived in poverty under Silla rule. The public favored him due to his leadership and generosity. In 913, he

175-521: The Goryeosa , in 918, the ancient capital of Pyongyang had been in ruins for a long time and foreign barbarians were using the surrounding lands as hunting grounds and occasionally raiding the borders of Goryeo; therefore, in his first year as king, Wang Kŏn ordered his subjects to repopulate the ancient capital, and soon sent his cousin Wang Sing-nyŏm to defend it. Afterward, he decreed Pyongyang as

210-468: The Japanese administration of Korea , Mount Kumgang became a major tourist site, and the temple (known by its Japanese pronunciation as Yusen-ji) received many visitors to admire its beautiful setting and architecture. Because of this, it underwent significant restoration work funded by this Japanese government during this time. Despite its historical significance, the temple was bombed by US forces during

245-515: The Templestay program, where visitors can experience Buddhist culture and even stay at the temple overnight. A distinctive form of Buddhism evolved in Korea. This was facilitated by the geographical location and cultural conditions. Buddhism first arrived in Korea in 372 in Goguryeo . In 374 the influential Han Chinese monk Ado arrived in the kingdom and inspired King Sosurim of Goguryeo

280-422: The 15th century. Eventually becoming a major site of pilgrimage and, along with Changansa , Pyohunsa , and Singyesa , was known as one of its Four Great Temples of Mt. Kumgang . It was the largest and the oldest of the four, and at its height it encompassed over 40 buildings. Between 1883 and 1885, it underwent its final enlargement, though it still retained many of its original Silla-era characteristics. During

315-595: The Khitans as revenge for the destruction of Balhae, according to the Zizhi Tongjian . Furthermore, in his Ten Mandates to his descendants, he stated that the Khitans are no different from beasts and should be guarded against. The unification of the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 was very important in Korean history; the unification of 668 CE by Silla was only a unification of approximately half of

350-544: The Korean War, who believed the Korean People's Army was using it as a base. Due to this, nothing remains today of this famous temple besides its foundation stones. 38°35′5″N 128°9′58″E  /  38.58472°N 128.16611°E  / 38.58472; 128.16611 This article about a North Korean building or structure is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about

385-542: The Tang dynasty, 16-year-old Chakchegon encountered a dragon king, slayed a shape-shifting fox, and married a dragon woman; the dragon woman later transformed into a dragon and went away. According to the Seongwollok ( 성원록 ; 聖源錄 ), quoted in the Goryeosa , the "dragon woman" was a daughter of Tu Ŭn-chŏm from Pyongju (modern-day Pyongsan County ). The story that Wang Kŏn was descended from either Suzong or Xuanzong

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420-789: The US carpet bombings of the Korean War , many still survive in rural areas, and some of the more famous, large temples destroyed have since been rebuilt (such as the Ryongtongsa and Singyesa ). All in all, there are 300 temples. There are about 900 traditional Buddhist temples in South Korea, out of about 20,000 Buddhist temples in total. The following list is sorted by Romanized names, but it also can be sorted by Korean names, by provinces (SK=South Korea, NK=North Korea), or by counties (i.e. gun or si ). Some Korean names, and founding dates are to be completed (the founding date applies to

455-486: The Western Capital. He also sought alliances and cooperation with local clans rather than trying to conquer and bring them under his direct control. In 927, Kyon Hwon of Later Baekje led his forces into Silla's capital, Gyeongju , capturing and executing its king, King Gyeongae . Then he established King Gyeongsun as his puppet monarch before he turned his army toward Goryeo. Hearing of the news, Taejo planned

490-731: The battle and fled to Apsan Mountain, he left many place names related to him in Daegu. However, Goryeo quickly recovered from defeat and successfully defended Later Baekje's attack on its front. In 935, the last king of Silla, King Gyeongsun, felt there was no way to revive his kingdom and surrendered his entire land to Taejo. Taejo gladly accepted his surrender and gave him the title of prince, and accepted his first cousin as his fifth wife and queen (Wang had six queens, and many more wives as he married daughters of every single local leader). In turn, King Gyeonsun married King Taejo's eldest daughter, Princess Nakrang , whose daughter also intermarried into

525-479: The battlefield. While Wang Kŏn escaped the battlefield, Sin and the remaining army fought bravely against the Later Baekje army. But eventually his army was routed and in the woods Sin was shot with arrows and was killed by the enemy. Taejo escaped from this mountain and fled alone to the mountain Apsan  [ ko ] , and he spent a few days hiding in a large cave at the peak of Apsan. While Taejo retreated from

560-443: The country pagodas and other Buddhist structures were built. In late Goryeo, Buddhism became linked with corruption of the regime. A great number of monks were involved in politics. Bit by bit anti-Buddhist sentiments grew, leading to chaos which was ended by the establishment of Joseon . Taejo of Joseon himself was a devout Buddhist, but the influence of monks was reduced. At times monks were treated as outcasts, but generally there

595-608: The eldest son of Wang Ryung . According to the Pyeonnyeon tongnok ( 편년통록 ; 編年通錄 ), quoted in the Goryeosa , Wang Kŏn's grandfather Chakchegon was the son of Emperor Suzong of Tang . According to the Encyclopedia of Korean Culture and the Doosan Encyclopedia , this is hagiographical. The Pyeonnyeon tongnok (c. late 12th century) said: While on a sea voyage to meet his father, Emperor Suzong of

630-516: The establishment of Buddhism in Japan. In Silla , Buddhism was important, too. It flourished during the reign of Jinheung of Silla (540 to 576). Heungnyunsa was built, where any commoner could become a monk. The study of scriptures was greatly highlighted. For about 250 years Buddhism thrived in Later Silla . Buddhism was admired by Wang Geon, who was enthroned as Taejo of Goryeo . Throughout

665-449: The far northwestern part of Silla, where Songdo was located. Taejo's father, Wang Ryung, along with many local clans, quickly surrendered to Kung Ye. Wang Kŏn followed his father into service under Kung Ye , the future leader of Taebong , and he began his service under Kung Ye's command. Wang Kŏn's ability as a military commander was soon recognized by Kung Ye, who promoted him to general and even regarded him as his brother. In 900, he led

700-434: The following year. The first two temples Seongmunsa and Ilbullansa were built in 375 on the order of the king. Buddhism soon became the national religion of Goguryeo. With the advent of Taoism in 624 the rulers began to suppress Buddhism and its importance quickly declined. The Baekje Kingdom, on the other hand, flourished under the influence of Buddhism. In 552 Buddhist scriptures were sent to Japan . This eventually led to

735-541: The later years of Silla. After the destruction of Balhae by the Khitans in 926, Balhae's last crown prince and much of its ruling class sought refuge in Goryeo, where they were warmly welcomed and included into the ruling family by Taejo, thus uniting the two successor nations of Goguryeo . Taejo felt a strong familial kinship with Balhae, calling it his "Relative Country" and "Married Country", and protected Balhae refugees, many of whom were also of Goguryeo origin. This

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770-583: The location, even if none of the original structures survive). A star in the first column denotes the 31 head temples designated during the Japanese colonial period. Recommended policy: no new entries, except from temples having their own English page in Misplaced Pages. Taejo of Goryeo Wang Kŏn was born in 877 to a powerful maritime merchant family of Goguryeo descent based in Songak (modern Kaesong ) as

805-423: The nation for the second time since Unified Silla ; he ruled until 943, and died from disease. Taejo sought to bring even his enemies into his ruling coalition. He gave titles and land to rulers and nobles from the various countries he had defeated: Later Baekje, Silla, and also Balhae , which disintegrated around the same time. Thus he sought to secure stability and unity for his kingdom which had been lacking in

840-547: The next day, the generals installed Wang Kŏn as the new king. Taejo renamed the kingdom Goryeo , thus beginning the Goryeo Dynasty. The next year he moved the capital back to his hometown, Gaegyeong. He promoted Buddhism as Goryeo's national religion, and laid claim to the northern parts of the Korean Peninsula and Manchuria, which he considered his rightful legacy as the successor of Goguryeo. According to

875-460: The night of July 24, 918, four top-ranked generals of Taebong— Hong Yu (홍유; 洪儒 ), Pae Hyŏn-gyŏng (배현경; 裵玄慶 ), Sin Sung-gyŏm and Pok Chigyŏm (복지겸; 卜智謙 )—met secretly and agreed to overthrow Kung Ye's rule and crown Wang Kŏn as their new king. Wang Kŏn first opposed the idea but later agreed to their plan. Kung Ye was overthrown in a coup and killed near the capital, Cheorwon . On the sunrise of

910-474: The people of the Korean Peninsula thereafter remained under a single, unified state until 1948, when Korea was divided into north and south by Soviets and U.S. forces. The modern name of "Korea" is derived from the name "Goryeo," which itself is derived from "Goguryeo," to whose heritage (and by extension, territory) Wang Kŏn and his new kingdom laid claim. As the first ruler to more fully unite

945-448: The peoples of the Korean Peninsula and its vicinity (who at the time largely considered themselves one people divided among many states), since the northern part was ruled by Balhae, which asserted itself as a reincarnation of Goguryeo. However, Wang Kŏn's unification in 936 was a more complete unification (in which only a single state emerged among the people, as opposed to the 7th century, when two, Unified Silla and Balhae , emerged);

980-604: The region, including the Ryesong River . During the Later Silla period, the northern regions, including Songak, were the strongholds of Goguryeo refugees, and Wang Kŏn's hometown of Songak would become the original capital of Later Goguryeo in 901. According to a document created during the reign of King Uijong of Goryeo , the Sillan monk Doseon prophesied that Wang Kŏn would rise to power and become king after visiting Wang Kŏn's father. Wang Kŏn began his career in

1015-553: The royal Wang clan through her marriage with King Gyeongjong ; the grandson of King Taejo and Queen Sinmyeong. It caused much disgust to Kyon Hwon. Kyon's father, Ajagae , who held his own claim to the Sangju region, also defected and surrendered to Goryeo and was received as the father of a king. In the same year, Kyon Hwon's oldest son, Kyŏn Sin-gŏm , led a coup with his brothers Yang-gŏm and Yong-gŏm, against their father, who favored their half-brother, Kŭm-gang, as his successor to

1050-405: The throne. Kyon Hwon was sent into exile and imprisoned in the temple of Geumsansa , but escaped to Goryeo and was treated like Taejo's father, who died just before his surrender. In 936, Wang led his final campaign against Sin-gom of Later Baekje. Sin-gom fought against Taejo, but facing much disadvantage and inner conflict, he surrendered to Taejo. Wang finally conquered Later Baekje, and unified

1085-524: The turbulent Later Three Kingdoms . In the later years of Silla , many local leaders and bandits rebelled against the rule of Queen Jinseong , who did not have strong and wise enough leadership or policies to improve the poor condition of the people. Among those rebels, Kung Ye of the northwestern region and Kyŏn Hwŏn of the southwest gained more power. They defeated and absorbed many of the other rebel groups as their troops marched against local Silla officials and bandits. In 895, Kung Ye led his forces into

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1120-493: Was appointed as prime minister of the newly renamed Taebong. Its king, Kung Ye, whose leadership helped found the kingdom but who began to refer to himself as the Buddha, began to persecute people who expressed their opposition against his religious arguments. He executed many monks, then later even his own wife and two sons, and the public began to turn away from him. His costly rituals and harsh rule caused even more opposition. In

1155-676: Was dismissed by the Joseon compilers of the Goryeosa . Modern historians believe that Wang Kŏn's ancestors were influential Goguryeoic hojoks (lords) that conducted maritime trade with China for generations. According to the Gaoli tujing (c. early 12th century) written by the Song dynasty envoy Xu Jing, Wang Kŏn's ancestors were Goguryeo nobility. According to Jang Deokho, his ancestors were Goguryeo refugees who settled around Songak, accumulating great wealth through maritime trade and gaining control of

1190-429: Was in strong contrast to Later Silla, which had endured a hostile relationship with Balhae. Taejo displayed strong animosity toward the Khitans who had destroyed Balhae. The Liao dynasty sent 30 envoys with 50 camels as a gift in 942, but he exiled the envoys and starved the camels under a bridge in retribution for Balhae, despite the major diplomatic repercussions. Taejo proposed to Gaozu of Later Jìn that they attack

1225-534: Was no hindrance to their practising. Buddhist heritage can be found all over the country in the form of temples, pagodas, sculptures, paintings, handicrafts and buildings. A typical Korean temple consists of the following elements: It is reported that many temples have been taken over by the state. Once the government controls these buildings, they are used mainly as museums of ancient Korean traditions. A few temples are still in use and they are considered National Treasures . Though few temples in large cities survived

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