Naksan Temple Restored
By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter
Naksan Temple, which was burnt down in a fire in April, 2005, has finished its four-year restoration. The temple in Yangyang, Gangwon Provence, will hold a Buddhist memorial service on Oct. 12 for the completion.
``The Naksan Temple is reborn again thanks to the interest and support of the Korean public. We will put all our effort into the finishing touches to bring the temple closer to the public,'' said Ven. Jeong Nyeom, the head monk of Naksan Temple.
The temple already went through a restoration project for the bells, gates and main buildings in 2007. The temple is now in its most similar state before the fire and even before the Korean War (1950-53), and will undergo more mending regarding the site's surroundings. This will be completed in 2012.
The temple was rebuilt based on historical records and also a painting of the temple by famous artist Kim Hong-do from the late 17th century during the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910).
More than 5,700 pine trees have also been planted to restore the forest surrounding Naksan temple, but it will still take decades for them to grow, while the trees that survived the fire still need time to fully recover.
The temple has also implemented fire alarm systems, including smoke and fire sensors around the temple buildings and image sensors.