At the entrance of Bongeunsa Temple, Seoul. Photo by Glad Doggett

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Bongeunsa Temple

A Sacred Site in Seoul

Laughing Budda sits serenely at the entrance of Bongeunsa. Notice Seoul’s buildings in the background. Photo by Glad Doggett

During a weekend trip to Seoul’s Gangnam district, we stopped to see the Bongeunsa Temple. It’s located in Samseoun-dong, Gangnam-gu, and is described as a “millennial Buddhist temple” and has a history of more than 1,200 years.

Jongru (Bell Pavillion). A Dharma bell, Drum, Wooden Fish, and cloud-shaped gong are struck at dawn and in the evening. Photo by Glad Doggett

More sights at Bongeunsa. Photo by Glad Doggett

As we walked through the temple site, we could hear chanting and bell ringing coming from different buildings. All around us, worshippers paid their respects by bowing, meditating, and lighting candles. The area felt sacred and we were careful to be quiet and respectful.

Mireuk Daebul (The Great Statue of Mailtreya Buddha) photo by Glad Doggett

The Mireuk Daebul statue stands 23 meters high and is the tallest stone statue in Korea…