Sangwonsa


Sangwonsa is a Buddhist temple located in Pyeongchang County, Gangwon-do, South Korea. It is located within Odaesan National Park.
WWW Official Site

History

The temple was first founded in 705 by two Silla-era princes, Bocheon and Hyomyeong, in which according to the Samguk Yusa, these two princes each founded a hermitage on the spots where they saw a blue lotus blooming. Initially called Jinyeowon, the temple name changed to Sangwonsa during the Goryeo dynasty, when it underwent a major renovation. The temple was spared during the suppression of Buddhism of the Joseon dynasty; instead, it underwent expansion, with new buildings being built on the orders of King Taejong. King Sejo also had a deep relationship with this temple, who not only helped to renovate and expand, but also donated items such as bowls and clothing, as well as a set of Tripitaka Koreana, and even gathered monks to meditate together. Because of this, Sangwonsa enjoyed tax-exemption benefits throughout the Joseon dynasty per the will of King Sejo.
In 1946, the temple was burnt down after a fire accidentally broke out. It was rebuilt in 1947 by Lee Jong-wook, the head priest of Woljeongsa. During the Korean War, as UN troops retreated from the north, Walton Walker and Kim Baek-il, who were commanders of the U.S. 8th Army and Republic of Korea Army I Corps respectively, ordered a scorched earth policy of the area. The monk Hanam prevented the temple from destruction by vowing to defend it with his life, and in the end the troops decided to remove a few doors and burn them instead, to create the illusion of the temple being burned; both the monk and the officers decision had spared the loss of cultural heritage.

Cultural Properties

The temple grounds contains the following: