Haedong Yonggungsa Temple
해동용궁사
Why go
A rare temple that stands not in the mountains but on rocks by the sea. It was founded in 1376 by the monk Naong, and its present name comes from a dream of the Bodhisattva of Compassion riding a dragon. The blue sea is the backdrop wherever you stand in the grounds.
Highlights
History
First founded in 1376, in the Goryeo period, by the monk Naong, the temple was destroyed and lost during the Imjin War. In the early 1930s the monk Ungang of Tongdosa Temple rebuilt it.
In the 1970s the monk Jeongam took charge of the temple and set about restoring it. During a hundred-day prayer he dreamed of the Bodhisattva of Compassion rising into the sky on a dragon, and that dream gave the temple its present name.
In spring cherry blossoms bloom at the entrance, and on Buddha's Birthday, the 8th day of the 4th lunar month, the lanterns that fill the grounds are lit and the night view is beautiful. At New Year it is crowded with people who come to greet the sun at Sunrise Rock. Besides the main hall, you can look around the Dragon King Shrine (Yongwangdang) and the 3-storey stone pagoda.
Getting there
Where next
Photos
Tips
- From the stop in front of exit 1 of OSIRIA Station on the Donghae Line, take bus 139 or express bus 1001, get off at the Yonggungsa·National Institute of Fisheries Science stop and walk 15 minutes.
- The coastal walk beside the temple is part of Haeparang Trail Course 1, and from Sunrise Rock you can watch the sun rise over the horizon.
- Enter the worship halls by the side doors, not the front door, leave your shoes neatly, and keep your voice down in the grounds. Pets may come in a carrier or with a muzzle, and the car park charges a fee.
- Worship hours differ between guides, so if you are going late, check with the temple (051-722-7744) first.
Show details
- Address
- 부산광역시 기장군 기장읍 용궁길 86