Amongst the greatest and most revered temples of Korea, the Beomeosa Temple was constructed by monk Ui Sang in 678 during the rule of King Munmu of Silla Kingdom. The temple is located on the slopes of Mt.Geumjeongsan in Busan. The foundation of the temple is described in following way in 'Donggukyeojiseungram', a geography book,

"There is a well on the top of Mt. Geumjeongsan and the water of that well is gold. The golden fish in the well rode the colorful clouds and came down from the sky. This is why the mountain is named Geumsaem (gold well) and the temple is named 'fish from heaven'."

The temple that stands to day is not the original one. It was destroyed during the Japanese invasion of 1592-8. It was rebuilt in 1602, but again an accidental fire destroyed it and reconstruction work to restore it was carried out agian in 1614. The last renovation work was carried out in 1713. The temple originally belonged to the Hwaeom sect, however, later, like most of the other Korean temples, Beomeosa, too, was merged into Jogye order.
Within the Complex
The temple has three levels - the first has three gates, the second has Pojaeru and the third has the main hall.

The gates of the temple are very impressive. The first one, "One Pillar Gate" was constructed in 1614 and persuades those who enter to find the oneness of all upon entering the world of Buddha. Looking at this Provincial Treasure No. 12 from a side, the two pillars of the gate appear one.

Next, you need to cross the Gate of the Guardians of the Four Directions and the Gate of Nonduality.

The second gate has images of four fearsome protectors of Buddhism while the third gate, the Gate of Non Duality indicates that despite the fact that a visitor is passing through the gate from the secular to spiritual world, yet the two worlds are not very different from each other.

Next comes 2-story Pojaeru ("Pavilion of Saving all Beings"). This leads upto the Main Hall, Treasure No. 434, which was reconstructed in 1614 by Master Myojun. The Main Hall is very beautiful and showcases the excellence of the Choson Dynasty craftsmanship. The interiors have wooden carvings. On the ceiling, you can see flower carvings which remind you of the legend that flowers fall from heaven whenever Buddha teaches.

There are also two stupas out of which one dates back to the Shilla period. This stupa is three storey tall and is designated Treasure No. 250. The other stupa that is seven storey is a new structure and preserves the relics of Buddha which were brought all the way from India by a monk. Quiet close to it is another treasure, Cultural Asset No. 16, the stone lantern which dates back to the 9th century.

In another building, an immensely famous painting of Vairocana hangs. Hermitages Near The Temple
In the mountains near the temple, there are 11 hermitages or small temples. The names of these hermitages are :
1. Chongnyong-am (Blue Lotus Hermitage)
2. Naewon-am (Buddha's Celestial Teaching Hall Hermitage)
3. Kyemyong-am (Rooster's Crow Hermitage)
4. Taesong-am (Great Saint Hermitage)
5. Kumgang-am (Diamond Hermitage)
6. Anyang-am (Peace Nurturing Hermitage)
7. Miruk-am (Maitreya Hermitage)
8. Wonhyo-am (Former hermitage residence of the famous monk, Wonhyo)
9. Saja-am (Lion Hermitage)
10. Mansong-am (Great Teacher Hermitage)
11. Chijang-am (Ksitigarbha Hermitage)


Busan
Also known as Pusan, Busan is the second largest city after Seoul and largest port city in South Korea. The city covers an area of 763.46 km² and houses a population of 3,657,840 (as of 12.31.2005). Tourists come from all over to Busan, specially in summers. Because of this, the city is sometimes also called the summer capital of Korea. Six beaches of Busan are the prime attraction for tourists. For Buddhist tourists, however, the Beomeosa Temple is the main attraction.


Other Attractions

• Hongbeopsa Temple : Located in the suburbs of Busan, in the foothills of Cheolmasan Mountain, behind Geumjeongsan Mountain, this temple aims to become the a center for 'Buddhism for Everyday Life' (Saenghwal Bulgyo). Founded in 2003 by remodeling a part of the existing farmhouse, this temple is the result of the efforts of two people - Ha Domyeonghwa Bosal, a female lay devotee who pledged herself to the strengthening of Buddhism and the Venerable Simsan Sunim who promised to build a center of Buddhism for everyday life. The Main Buddha Hall houses a statue of Sakyamuni Buddha, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva (Gwanseum Bosal), and the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva (Jijang Bosal).