[Temple Adventures] Haedong Yonggung Temple prospers on Busan's coast

Haedong Yonggung Temple overlooks the sea. / Courtesy of Dale Quarrington

By Dale Quarrington

So much about Korea has changed, and so much continues to change. In Korea, there are three different types of temples that can be organized into groups based upon their age. In the first group, you'll find hundreds of historic temples that were built several centuries ago, if not a millennium or more. Then there is the modern type of temple built within the past 100 years. And found between these two groups of temples is the modern temple built upon the foundational grounds of a historic temple site. It's to this group that Haedong Yonggung Temple belongs.

Haedong Yonggung Temple, which is also known as the temple by the sea, is located in Gijang County of eastern Busan. The coastal temple is arguably one of the most beautifully situated in all of Korea, and it's undergone numerous changes throughout recent years. It is reflective of the changes that have swept across Korean society both economically and culturally.

Haedong Yonggung Temple, which translates to "Korean Dragon Palace Temple," is a reference to Yongwang (Dragon King) and the Yonggung (Dragon Palace) that the Dragon King inhabits under the sea. Haedong Yonggung Temple was first constructed in 1376 by the monk Naong Hyegeun (1320-76).

According to the temple's foundational legend, Naong Hyegeun dreamed that the Divine Sea god of the East Sea visited him and instructed him to build a temple atop Mount Bongnae. If Naong Hyegeun did this, the nation would become larger and more stable. So after looking around the peninsula for a perfect place to build a temple, he settled on the location where the temple is currently situated. Initially, it was called Bomun Temple.

A mural at Haedong Yonggung Temple depicts Naong Hyegeun's dream, in which a dragon tells him to build a temple. / Courtesy of Dale Quarrington

This temple was completely destroyed in 1592 by the invading Japanese during the 1592-98 Imjin War. It wasn't until the 1930s, over 300 years after its destruction, that the temple was rebuilt, this time by Ungang, a monk from Tongdo Temple. It was also at this time that the temple was named Haedong Yonggung Temple. More recently, large parts of the present temple were constructed over the past 20 years including the main hall, which was built in 2005.

Currently, when you first approach the temple from its large parking lot, you'll pass by a beautiful collection of statues dedicated to the Sibijin-shin (Twelve Spirit Generals). Descending down the 108 stairs, which are symbolic of the 108 temptations found in Buddhism, you'll make your way through the recently added artificial cave on your way towards the main temple courtyard. The views beyond the trees and the seokdeung (stone lanterns) are spell-bindingly beautiful, with the East Sea off in the distance.

The beautiful sea view at Haedong Yonggung Temple / Courtesy of Dale Quarrington

Along the way, you can continue your journey towards the main temple courtyard, or take a bit of a detour midway there. If you do in fact decide to take a bit of a detour, you'll find shrines dedicated to Yaksayeorae-bul (Medicine Buddha) and a coastal shrine dedicated to a richly painted golden statue of Jijang-bosal (Bodhisattva of the Afterlife). There's now a protective fence that guards overzealous explorers from accidentally plunging into the shallow swells of seawater that break against the slippery shoreline rocks.

Haedong Yonggung Temple overlooks the sea. / Courtesy of Dale Quarrington

Back on track, and now standing in the center of the main temple courtyard, you'll immediately notice the newly built main hall, the Daeungjeon. This recently completed structure is beautifully adorned both inside and out including a mural dedicated to Naong Hyegeun's foundational dream. And perched atop the highest point on the temple grounds is a serenely smiling Gwanseeum-bosal (Bodhisattva of Compassion) statue. More specifically, this statue is dedicated to Haesu Gwaneeum Daebo, who is the Sea Water Bodhisattva of Compassion. And rounding out the structures and statues in the main temple courtyard is a newly built Nahanjeon, the subterranean cave shrine, and a Yongwangdang dedicated to the Dragon King to the left of the main hall.

A statue of Gwanseeum-bosal at HaedongYonggung Temple / Courtesy of Dale Quarrington

There's a lot to see, but what's most interesting about this temple is the amount of changes that have occurred over the past 20 years. It used to be that Haedong Yonggung Temple was located in the middle of nowhere on the eastern outskirts of Busan. You'd need to take a 10,000 won taxi ride from Jangsan Station, the last stop on Busan Metro Line 2. Later, you'd need to pay the taxi driver to stick around, otherwise you'd be stranded out in the middle of nowhere without a ride back.

Now, Haedong Yonggung Temple is surrounded by urban sprawl on all sides including an IKEA, a Lotte Department Store and a massive Lotte World amusement park. Also adding to the rapid changes found in the urban fabric is the mass transit system. Now there are numerous buses that pass by the entranceway to the temple grounds, transforming the former headache into a tangible solution for travelers.

The Daeungjeon of HaedongYonggung Temple has not been built yet in this September 2004 photo. / Courtesy of Dale Quarrington

As for the temple itself, the addition of numerous statues and the artificial cave are the greatest changes that surround the main temple courtyard. The once-vacant lot that now houses the beautiful and vibrant main hall is the centerpiece to the temple grounds. You'll also find a somewhat garish statue to the rear of the main hall dedicated to a rather large image of Podae-hwasang, as well as a pair of golden pigs that you rub for good luck and fortune. In a way, and just recently, Haedong Yonggung Temple, through its various statues and shrines, has become one of the most golden temples in Korea.

Of course the beautiful location of the temple along the seashore, which is extremely rare for a Korean Buddhist temple, helped to elevate Haedong Yonggung Temple to one of the must-see temples in Korea. And in addition to the temple's natural beauty is an obvious influx of funds over the past couple of decades that has allowed it to grow in both size and splendor. Other temples have been rewarded by Korea's social and economic growth from dictatorship to democracy, but perhaps none more so than the beautiful Haedong Yonggung Temple in coastal Busan.

Dale Quarrington has visited over 500 temples throughout the Korean Peninsula and published three books on Korean Buddhism. He runs the popular website, "Dale's Korean Temple Adventures."