Gangneung Gulsansa Temple Site

This description was machine-translated from the Korea Tourism Organization's Korean original.

Gulsansa Temple is about 6 km southwest of downtown Gangneung. Founded by National Preceptor Beomil in the 9th year of King Munseong of Silla (847), it was one of the nine main temples among the Five Schools and Nine Mountains of Silla Buddhism. The date when Gulsansa was closed is uncertain, but it is estimated to have been around the late Goryeo or early Joseon period. The Gulsansa area has now become farmland, so its exact scale and layout cannot be known, but it is said to have been the largest temple in the Yeongdong region. Remaining today are the Gulsansa Temple Site Dangganjiju (Treasure) and the Gulsansa Temple Site Seated Stone Buddha (Gangwon-do Cultural Heritage Material), among others. Hakbawi (Crane Rock) and Seokcheon (Stone Spring), tied to the birth legend of National Preceptor Beomil, allow one to sense the scale of Gulsansa in its day. At present, Seokcheon was lost to damage from Typhoon Rusa and has been temporarily restored.