Magoksa
Encyclopedia
Magoksa is a head temple of the Jogye Order
of Korean Buddhism
in Gongju
, South Korea
. It is located on the eastern slope of Taehwasan, on taegeuk-shaped bend in the Taegeukcheon Stream.
Magoksa is believed to have been established in 640
or 642
by the monk Jajang
of Silla
, however, this account is in dispute by some since Gongju would have lain within Baekje
territory at that time.
Whenever it was actually built, it was certainly operational during the Baekje Dynasty and the temple has lasted since that time to the present day, as evidenced by it containing manuscripts made with liquid gold and silver - relics from the late Goryeo
period.
The temple, used as a place of refuge during the early Joseon Dynasty
, was left largely untouched by the Seven Year War of the 1590s. It continued to play this role in the 20th century, when used as a hideout by Korean independence leader Kim Ku, who is also known to have planted the Chinese junipers seen here.
plant that grows here.
Jogye Order
The Jogye Order, officially the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism is the representative order of traditional Korean Buddhism with roots that date back 1,200 years to Unified Silla National Master Doui, who brought Seon and the practice taught by the Sixth Patriarch, Huineng, from China about 820...
of Korean Buddhism
Korean Buddhism
Korean Buddhism is distinguished from other forms of Buddhism by its attempt to resolve what it sees as inconsistencies in Mahayana Buddhism. Early Korean monks believed that the traditions they received from foreign countries were internally inconsistent. To address this, they developed a new...
in Gongju
Gongju
Gongju , also spelt Kongju, is a city in South Chungcheong province, South Korea. It is located at .- History :Gongju was formerly named Ungjin and was the capital of Baekje from AD 475 to 538. In this period, Baekje was under threat from Goguryeo...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. It is located on the eastern slope of Taehwasan, on taegeuk-shaped bend in the Taegeukcheon Stream.
Magoksa is believed to have been established in 640
640
Year 640 was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 640 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* Tulga succeeds his father Suinthila as king...
or 642
642
Year 642 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 642 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* August 5 – In the Battle of...
by the monk Jajang
Jajang
Jajang was a monk born Kim Seonjong, into the royal Kim family, in the kingdom of Silla. He is credited with founding the temple of Tongdosa in 646 CE, near in what is now Busan, South Korea, and played a significant role in the adoption of Buddhism as the national religion of Silla.-Training:In...
of Silla
Silla
Silla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and one of the longest sustained dynasties in...
, however, this account is in dispute by some since Gongju would have lain within Baekje
Baekje
Baekje or Paekche was a kingdom located in southwest Korea. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla....
territory at that time.
Whenever it was actually built, it was certainly operational during the Baekje Dynasty and the temple has lasted since that time to the present day, as evidenced by it containing manuscripts made with liquid gold and silver - relics from the late Goryeo
Goryeo
The Goryeo Dynasty or Koryŏ was a Korean dynasty established in 918 by Emperor Taejo. Korea gets its name from this kingdom which came to be pronounced Korea. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392...
period.
The temple, used as a place of refuge during the early Joseon Dynasty
Joseon Dynasty
Joseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...
, was left largely untouched by the Seven Year War of the 1590s. It continued to play this role in the 20th century, when used as a hideout by Korean independence leader Kim Ku, who is also known to have planted the Chinese junipers seen here.
Legend
Legend tells us that when Jajang came to the eastern slope of Taehwasan where Magoksa is found he decided to establish a temple and call it magok, which means Flax Vally. Jajang felt that many good priests could come from the area "to cause the rapid growth of Buddhism", like the rapid growth of the flaxFlax
Flax is a member of the genus Linum in the family Linaceae. It is native to the region extending from the eastern Mediterranean to India and was probably first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent...
plant that grows here.
Treasures
- Treasure #799 - Magoksa houses a five-storey ,Ocheung Stone pagodaPagodaA pagoda is the general term in the English language for a tiered tower with multiple eaves common in Nepal, India, China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and other parts of Asia. Some pagodas are used as Taoist houses of worship. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most commonly Buddhist,...
, worthy of note. The pagoda is one of only three in the world the top embellished with bronzeBronzeBronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
, suggesting influence from Tibetan (Lama) BuddhismTibetan BuddhismTibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including northern Nepal, Bhutan, and India . It is the state religion of Bhutan...
.
- Treasure #800 - Yeongsanjeon
- Treasure #801 - Daeungbojeon
- Treasure #802 - Daegwangbojeon
- Treasure #1260 - Gaebultaeng of Buddha, a woodblock print from the 13th year (1687) of King Sukjong, in color on hemp cloth.
See also
- List of Korea-related topics
- Korean Buddhist templesKorean Buddhist templesBuddhist temples are an important part of the Korean landscape. This article gives a brief overview of Korean Buddhism, then describes some of the more important temples in Korea. Most Korean temples have names ending in -sa , which means "temple", or ancient temple.-Introduction to Korean...
- Korean BuddhismKorean BuddhismKorean Buddhism is distinguished from other forms of Buddhism by its attempt to resolve what it sees as inconsistencies in Mahayana Buddhism. Early Korean monks believed that the traditions they received from foreign countries were internally inconsistent. To address this, they developed a new...
- Religion in South KoreaReligion in South KoreaThe predominant religions in South Korea are the traditional Buddhist faith and a large and growing Christian population...
- Korean architectureKorean architectureKorean architecture refers to the built environment of Korea from c. 30,000 BC to the present.-Introduction:From a technical point of view, buildings are structured vertically and horizontally...