Donghaksa Temple is located in the Sangbong Valley, among the peaks of Mt.Gyeryong National Park, north of Daejeon in Gongju, South Chungcheong Province of Korea. The temple is counted amongst the four major temples around the mountain, along with Sinweonsa, Gapsa and Guryongsa temples. Also, it is one of the most well known Jogye order female monks' academic centres specialising in Buddhist studies. Interestingly, Korea is the only country in the world where a female monk sect exists. This sect is known as Bomun. At any given point, the temple houses around 150 female monks who study and practice Buddhism here.

As for the past of the temple, it is believed that at first, a hermitage was constructed here by Ven. Hoehui in 724 during the rule of the Silla king Seongdeok. This new hermitage was constructed on the site of an earlier hermitage that was owned by a Tang monk. The temple was later enlarged by National Master Doseon (9th century) and National Master Muak (15th century). Shrines were added by Goryeo dynasty official after the fall of the dynasty and memorial tablets were added by King Sejo in honour of innocent Goreyo victims. Still later, the temple was greatly damaged by the fires of 1728 and 1784. In 1814, a Ven. Geumbong commenced a new reconstruction project to replace the temple and shrines. The temple, for a brief period of time, was also shut down and turned into a village Confucian school. It was again turned into to a temple in 1836 and in 1864, the temple again underwent a reconstruction work. However, this did not last long as the Korean war of 1950-53 destroyed a large part of the temple. The few older buildings that still stand date back to the 18th and 19th century.


Structures And Treasures
The temple has a number of unique structure and amongst them is Donggyesa, a shrine dedicated to Baek Je-Sang, a Silla patriot. Another structure, the Sukmojeon Pavilion is a shrine dedicated to those who lost their lives when King Sejo in the 15th century. This includes the six patriots who were loyal to former King Danjong (1452-1455). The Samungak shrine honours the three Goryeo loyalists. Also noteworthy in th temple are the Daeungjon (main hall) and a three -story stone pagoda.

Other structures in Donghaksa include a lecture hall, Yukhwawon (presently used as monk's college), Yumhwashil, bell tower, the Great Buddha Hall, the Josa Hall, living quarters Seolhyangdang, Hwagyeonheon and the Shilsangryo.

Donghaksa is not home to any National Treasure, but there are a number of interesting paintings that are preserved within. The painting of Sakyamuni Triad and Healing Buddha in the Main Buddha Hall are both believed to be done in 1898. Samungak, or Pavilion of the Three Saints has Big Dipper, Mountain God, and Hermit paintings. Chungcheong Province
Located in central Korea, the province of Chungcheon has its capital at Daejeon which is seperately administered as a provincial level metropolitan city. The province occupies an area of 8352 sq km, excluding the capital city and houses a population of around 1,840,410, again excluding the capital city.

Administratively, the province is segregated into cities (si) and 9 counties (gun). Gongju is one of the cities of the province.

The major attractions of the province are its scenic treasures, specially Mt. Gyeryongsan and Geumgang River. Buddhist temples also draw a whole lot of tourists to this province.


Other Attractions

• Pagodas : The area where the Donghaksa temple is located is quiet well known for its pagodas. Amongst them, two Pagodas are located just 2 km north of the temple. Twin Pagodas are located on the former site of Cheongyangsa Temple. The other, the Nammaetap Pagodas has two pagodas, one seven stories and the other five stories. The two pagodas were constructed during the rule of Shilla Kingdom after the sculptural style of the Baek Je Kingdom.
  
  
• Magoksa Temple : The date of construction of this temple is not confirmed but it is believed to have been built in 642 by the monk Jajangyulsa. It is also believed to have been reconstructed by the monk Bojoguksa of Goryeo. The temple houses a number of treasures - five story stone pagoda (Treasure No. 799), Yeongsanjeon (Treasure No. 800), Daeungbojeon (Treasure No. 801) and Daegwangbojeon(Treasure 802). Apart from these, several manuscripts of the Buddhist scriptures using gold or silver liquid still kept in the temple. The treasures remain intact because the temple remained safe during the Japanese invasion.
  
  
• Sudok-sa Temple : One of the most important temples of Korea that provides a comprehensive training to the monks, the Sudok-sa was founded by Master Sungje in the late Paekje period. The temple also has a Panjang, a Spiritual Master, who is one of the five specially selected masters of Korea at any one time. The Main Hall is designated National Treasure No. 49 houses three Buddhas and two Bodhisattvas. The three Buddhas that stand for some of the main features of Buddhism are Sakyamuni (the Historical Buddha), Amitabha (the Buddha of Infinite Light) and Bhaisagyaguru (the Medicine Buddha). The two Bodhisattvas, Manjusri is symbolic of Perfect Wisdom and Samantabhadra for Perfect Practice. The temple also houses a Unified Shilla Period stupa.
  
  
• Musangsa Temple : Established in March 2000 by the late Seon Master Seungsahn Haengwon to spread Korean Buddhism around the world, Musangsa, along with temple Hwagyesa in Seoul, is regarded the representative international Seon center for foreign trainees. The fund for the construction of the temple initially came from foreign lay believers who wanted to see the foundation of an international Seon center in Korea The temple occupies an area of 3 acres and of a Main Buddha Hall, Seon Hall and residential hall. The Buddha Hall, that was completed in 2004, houses images of Sakyamuni Buddha, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva (Bohyeon Bosal) and the Manjushri Bodhisattva (Munsu Bosal). There is also a painting of Amitabha Buddha.
  
• Gapsa Temple : Located in the western valley below the Yeoncheon Peak of the Gyeryongsan Mountain National Park, the temple is at a distance of about 19 km from the city of Gongju. It was founded by Venerable Ado and serves as a leading temple in faith and practice. The Memorial Hall of the temple houses the portraits of three Great Masters (Daesa), Seosan, Samyeong, and Yeonggyu. Other treasures of the temple include the Cheonjinbotap Pagoda and the Gong-utap pagoda.
  
  
• Yeongpyeongsa Temple : The temple is located in Janggi-myeon, in the city of Gongju, on the eastern outskirts of the Sunrise Village on Janggunsan Mountain. There are 6 buildings of cultural treasure and 3 small hermitages. The name of the temple implies eternal peace. Rightly so, the atmosphere around the temple is extremely calming and comfortable. The spectacular beauty of Korea's symbolic autumn flower, the wild Siberian chrysanthemum, that grows all around, is also something that draws tourists in large number.