Hwaomsa Temple - Jirisan National Park

 

The name Hwaomsa comes from two characters in the Avatamsaka, Hwa and Om. This is one of the major texts of Korean Buddhism, which tells of the universal oneness of all things.

Left: Gaghwangjeon - the Hall of the Enlightened Emperor - was built in 1703. The gold Buddha can be seen through the doors.   National Treasure No. 67

Below: The stairs are very steep as you go from one level to another.
 


Left: The stone lantern is 6.4 meters high and is the largest in Korea. This lantern and the five-story stone pagoda were built around 860.

National Treasure No. 12
 


There are many fountains around many
of the Buddhist temples.
 
Above: Pomjonggak (Temple Bell Pavilion) - In the morning and evening the monks chant and play music.
 

This is Daeungjeon (Main Sanctum) which was built in 1636. The original temple built in 544 was destroyed by fire in 1597 during the Chongyujaeran War when the Japanese invaded Korea.

National Treasure No. 299
   
Hwaomsa
Hwaom Temple marks one of the major gateway to Jiri-san National Park in the South Jeolla area. Built beside Masan Stream, one of the park's main hiking trails starts here and parallels the stream to its headwaters near Nogodan, one of the major peaks along the Jiri-san backbone. (The hike takes about 3 1/2 hours going up and 3 hours coming down.) The temple grounds contain many cultural artifacts, and the entire area has been designated Historic Site and Scenic Area #7.
Built in 554 by Priest Yeongi Chosa, it was later expanded by Priests Uisang Taesa and Toseon Kuksa. Like so many of Korean temples, the wooden structures were destroyed during the 1592-98 Japanese invasion. Restoration began in 1630 and was completed in 1636, but with a somewhat different appearance. The stone lanterns and pagodas survived with little damage during this period.
Most Koreans regard Gaghwangjeon as the country's most magnificent wooden building. Built in 1703, it has been designated National Treasure #67. In addition to its own ascetic beauty, it also houses several gold colored Buddha and tapestries.