Sinheungsa (신흥사)

Learn Korean!

신 (sin) means God
흥 (heung) means “it will prosper”
사 (sa) means Temple

Fun Facts

The Tongil Daebul statue is made of 108 tons of gilt-bronze and stands at 18.9 meters tall. The hollow inside of the statue contains the three pieces of Seokgamoni-bul’s sari (crystallized remains) and the original Buddhist scriptures, the Tripitaka.
The forehead of the statue is adorned with eight 8cm stones of amber and one 10cm piece of jade stone.

Sinheungsa Temple, originally named Hyangseongsa Temple during the Silla dynasty, was founded by Buddhist monk Jajang. The temple underwent several relocations and renovations before being settled into its current location during the Joseon dynasty. According to legend, when the temple burned down in 1642, three monks vowed to rebuild it and prayed fervently every day. One day, a silver-haired god appeared to them in their dreams, pointed to the current location of the temple, and said “If you build a temple here, there will be no damage from the three major disasters of fire, flood, or storms”. The temple was rebuilt on the location where it stands today and renamed Sinheungsa meaning “the temple is blessed by God and will prosper”. Tongil Daebul, a monumental bronze Buddha statue, greets visitors near the entrance to the temple symbolizing the Korean people’s aspiration for the peaceful reunification of North and South Korea, and representing a collective Buddhist prayer for harmony and an end to division.

Travel Tips

Stop for a rest and a cup of cinnamon tea at the café outside this temple. You can smell the cinnamon from far away.
If you time your visit right, you can witness the monks as they chant their daily prayers.

Address

English: 1137 Seoraksan-ro, Sokcho-si, Gangwon-do

Hangeul: 강원특별자치도 속초시 설악산로 1137

This is my favorite temple in South Korea (at least so far!). After spending months researching and planning our trip, I had forgotten that this was the temple where we could see the Tongil Daebul bronze statue. When we approached the temple entrance, I had to catch my breath as the statue came into view. It was so massive! I wasn’t expecting that at all. The temple itself is nestled right in the middle of Seoraksan National Park which is absolutely beautiful. As we explored the temple grounds we were able to see several Korean National Treasures including over 50 painted murals and the triad of golden statues inside the main temple building which date all the way back to the 17^th century. We even had the privilege of hearing the monk’s chant their daily prayers to the sound of their wooden drums.

If you are not a spiritual person you will be after a visit to Sinheungsa! The beauty, quiet, and peacefulness of this temple situated in the middle of the Seorak peaks is a perfect representation of what only our father in heaven can provide. The temple buildings themselves are beautifully crafted inside and out and are in pristine condition due to enormous care over centuries of harsh weather and a severely cold climate. During our first visit in May, there was a Buddhist celebration and the temple was adorned with colorful lanterns all throughout the main plaza. When we visited in the autumn the light wind blowing between the buildings seemed to whistle a song while the smell of the cinnamon tea was present everywhere. On our next visit we will plan to leave more time so we can sit in the cinnamon Tea café and enjoy the very special uniqueness of this most beautiful place.