Silleuksa
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| Silleuksa | |
|---|---|
 Silleuksa |
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| Korean name | |
| Hangul: |
신륵사
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| Hanja: | |
| Revised Romanization: | Silleuksa |
| McCune-Reischauer: | Sillŭksa |
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Address: 282 Cheonsong-ri, Buknae-myeon
Yeoju-gun, Gyeonggi-do |
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Silleuksa (also written as Shilleuksa[1]) is a Korean Buddhist temple situated against a low hill on the north side of the river Namhan, two miles east of Yeoju in Gyeonggi Province, approximately one-hour southeast of Seoul. The only riverside temple in Korea, Silleuksa is a sacred pilgrimage site and a repository of seven Treasures. A 500-year-old aromatic juniper tree and a 600-year-old ginkgo tree stand on the temple grounds.
Founded in circa 580 by Silla Dynasty monk Wonhyo, Silleuksa was enlarged, burned, and rededicated several times. Silleuksa was made a prayer sanctuary to the royal mausoleum of King Sejong the Great in 1469 (himself moved from Seoul that year), during the reign of King Seongjong. Often referred to as the "wall temple"[2] because of an impressive brick pagoda towering high above, Silleuksa is but small by standard measure.[3]
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[edit] Treasures
A six-tier brick pagoda overlooks the river, one of a handful of brick pagodas in the country (T. #226). Nearby is a Silla Dynasty memorial stone stela (T. #230) whose inscription concerns a library that once stood on the premises of the preservation of wood printing blocks of the sutras. In the center courtyard is a seven-tier marble pagoda (T. #225) from the early Joseon Dynasty. Relief carvings of dragons, lotus, and wave patterns around its base are all done delicately, with consummate skill. To the side of the main hall is Chosa-dang, a small, rather undistinguished building (T. #180). This hall enshrines the portraits of important monks of the Goryeo Dynasty. To the rear of the building and up a hill is an octagonal gray marble lantern (T. #231) indicative of the Goryeo period, a bell shaped sari budo of monk Naong (T. #228), and a stone stela (T. #229)
[edit] Photo gallery
 Gray lantern, stone stela, and bell-shaped sari budo of Naong |
 Octagonal open pavilion along Namhan River |
 Seven-tier brick pagoda, one of a handful of brick pagodas in the country |
[edit] Notes
- ^ Nilsen, R. (2004). Moon Handbooks South Korea, 3rd eds. Avalon Travel Publishing.
- ^ Silleuksa. (2004). County of Yeoju Website. 8 December 2006. http://yj21.net/eng/tour/remain_03.asp
- ^ Miller, J. Korea's Only Riverside Temple. The Korea Times. 8 December 2006. http://buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=18,208,0,0,1,0
