KOREAN TEMPLE ADVENTURES Loss of Goun Temple incalculable
Fire razes Goun Temple, an ancient temple in Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province, Tuesday, as wildfires spread across the southeastern region. Yonhap
By Dale Quarrington
Upon first hearing the news, it felt surreal. To some of us, it was almost like losing a close family member or a good friend. At 4:50 p.m. on Tuesday, Goun Temple in Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province, was almost completely destroyed by the massive wildfires in the region.
Historically, most major temples have been destroyed by at least one fire in their long pasts. However, because most of these fires were so long ago, they almost don’t seem real, as though they are located in an intangible past. This wildfire that consumed Goun Temple seems so much more real and raw.
Goun Temple was established in 681 by the famed monk Uisang-daesa (625-702). The site where Goun Temple was placed is said to resemble that of a half-bloomed lotus flower.
While the temple's name originally meant "high cloud temple" in English, the meaning of Goun Temple changed to "lonely cloud temple." So while the temple has always been named Goun Temple and had the same pronunciation, the meaning of its name changed after it was visited by the great Confucian and Taoist scholar Choe Chi-won (857-?), whose pen name was Goun, or "lonely cloud," in English. During Choi’s prolonged stay at the temple, he designed two unique pavilions there: Gaun-ru and Uhwa-ru.
A beautiful forest surrounding Goun Temple in Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province, June 8, 2013. Courtesy of Dale Quarrington
Another interesting aspect of Goun Temple is that it is famous for being the most sacred site for the worship of Jijang-bosal (Bodhisattva of the Afterlife) in Korea. It’s often referred to as the Haedong (Korean) Jijang-bosal sanctuary. According to tradition, it’s believed that after one dies, King Yama, who is the leader of the Siwang (The 10 Kings of the Underworld), asks the dead whether they have visited Goun Temple. And for those who have lost loved ones in this fire, this seems especially poignant.
During the reign of King Heongang of Silla (r. 875-886), Doseon-guksa (826-898) greatly expanded the temple, which at the time consisted of five shrine halls and 10 living quarters. It was also at this time that the “Stone Seated Buddha of Gounsa Temple,” which is a Korean national treasure, was first made. Eventually, and at its peak, Goun Temple had 366 buildings and over 200 monks.
The stone-seated Buddha of Goun Temple in Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province, June 8, 2013 / Courtesy of Dale Quarrington
The temple was reconstructed in 948 and again in 1018 during the 918-1392 Goryeo Dynasty. During the 1592-98 Imjin War, Goun Temple was used by the Righteous Army as a base for the stockpiling of supplies and the treating of the wounded. Surprisingly, and unlike so many other major temples on the Korean Peninsula, Goun Temple avoided destruction by the invading Japanese. After the Imjin War, Goun Temple underwent a large-scale reconstruction project that started in 1695.
Later, in April 1803, portions of the temple were destroyed by fire. This was followed by a fire in February 1835 that destroyed an even greater portion of the temple grounds. In December of the same year, Unsu Hermitage, which is located on the Goun Temple grounds, was also destroyed by fire. Throughout the ensuing decades, Goun Temple was rebuilt.
In 1912, Goun Temple became one of the 30 principal temples during the 1910-45 Japanese occupation of Korea. In February 1913, under the Temple Ordinance Act, Goun Temple oversaw and managed 46 branch temples throughout the province. But in 1919, Goun Temple became one of the centers of the March 1st Independence Movement in the Buddhist community.
However, following Korea’s liberation from Japan in 1945, and through the Korean government’s land reform policies, Goun Temple’s farmland was redistributed to tenant farmers. As a result, a large portion of the temple grounds were lost. Eventually, Goun Temple would become the head temple of the 16th District of the Jogye-jong Order of Korean Buddhism in 1969. This put the temple in the position of overseeing 60 temples in the area including those in Uiseong, Andong, Yeongju, Bonghwa and Yeongyang.
Another destructive fire took place at the temple in 1975, destroying several shrine halls. A major restoration effort was made in 1992 that oversaw the construction of a new Daeungbo-jeon Hall, a bell pavilion and an expansion of the main temple courtyard. Also, the old shrine halls were repainted and renovated.
The Daeungbo-jeon Hall of Goun Temple in Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province, June 8, 2013 / Courtesy of Dale Quarrington
Sadly, all of this changed in the blink of an eye on Tuesday. Fortunately, and thanks to quick thinking, the cultural heritage items at Goun Temple were preserved, including the stone-seated Buddha. The 40 monks and devotees at Goun Temple were also saved shortly before the fire spread throughout the temple grounds. On the other hand, structures like the Gaun-ru Pavilion, the Yeonsu-jeon Hall (a Korean national treasure) and the newly built Choe Chi-won Literary Museum were all destroyed. In fact, almost all of the wooden structures at the temple were consumed by the flames.
The Yeonsu-jeon Hall of Goun Temple in Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province, June 8, 2013 / Courtesy of Dale Quarrington
On a more personal note, the loss of Goun Temple really hurts. I have so many fond memories of the temple. It was one of the first temples I visited upon returning to Korea in 2011 after being away from the country for four years. Also, it was the first place where a cyclone of swirling butterflies enveloped me, as I made my way toward the temple’s Myeongbu-jeon Hall. Perhaps it was a sign of something; then again, perhaps it was nothing more than a beautiful wave of floating colors. But that’s what Goun Temple was. It was filled with the hopes, dreams and memories of thousands of people throughout centuries of time. It was both beautiful and meaningful. And now, it’s gone.
It’s hard to even fathom just how much destruction, devastation and suffering these recent wildfires in the southeastern portion of the nation have caused. With these wildfires still largely spreading, even with the superhuman efforts of the firefighters, the country continues to burn in Andong, Cheongsong and Uiseong. So may all that has been lost be recovered. May all the hurt caused by these disastrous fires be overcome. May Goun Temple rise above the ashes like it’s done so many other times in its long past. And in the near term, may the fires come to an end sooner rather than later.
Dale Quarrington has visited over 500 temples throughout the Korean Peninsula and published four books on Korean Buddhism. He runs the website Dale's Korean Temple Adventures.