There are two different records of how Magoksa Temple was built on Taehwasan Mountain. The “Taehwasan Magoksa Sajeok Iban” (1851) says Magoksa Temple was the third of seven temples built by Jajangyulsa with great support from Queen Seondeok upon returning from his trip to the Tang Dynasty. The records also say that the Temple was repaired and renovated on five different occasions since it was first built. Meanwhile, the “Seongyoyangjongdaebonsanmagoksa Yeongiryakcho” says that “Bojoseonsa Che Jing founded Magoksa Temple, and thereafter, Beomilguksa and Doseonguksa expanded and renovated the Temple.” Divided into two separate sections by a small creek, Magoksa Temple is perhaps best known for its beautiful scenery. In fact, it hosts its own festival, the Sillok Festival, each spring. One side of the creek is called “Namwon,” which is dedicated to meditation, and the other side is called “Bukwon,” which is used for prayer. Yeongsanjeon Hall is the main building for the Namwon part of Magoksa Temple. Used for meditation, it is also the oldest structure in Magoksa Temple. Here, “Yeongsan (靈山)” is an abbreviation for Yeongchuksan Mountain, which is where Sakyamuni preached to his disciples, and Yeongsanjeon captures the essence of Yeongchuksan Mountain. As for the Bukwon section of the Temple, Daeungbojeon Hall serves as its main structure, and it remains almost intact in its original condition. One thing you should absolutely check out while you are at Magoksa Temple is its Five-story Stone Pagoda, which looks and feels a little different from other stone pagodas in Korea. This relic, which resembles a Lama stupa, is a prime example of Lama Buddhism culture that was introduced by the Yuan Dynasty in the late Goryeo Dynasty period. Also, Magoksa Temple is famous for the line of Hwaseung (畵僧) monks it had managed to produce over the years. It was so prolific in developing these Buddhist painters, it earned the moniker of “Nambang Hwaso.” To this very day, the Temple hosts a Bulmodaryeje to commemorate the souls of Hwaseung monks.

Yeongsanjeon Hall at Magoksa Temple in Gongju enshrines Buddha Sakyamuni and a Palsangdo that illustrates the biography of the Buddha. It is also called the “Cheonbuljeon” as it enshrines the Cheonbul as well. Yeonsanjeon is the oldest structure in Magoksa, and it was repaired when Gaksundaesa rebuilt the Temple during the Joseon Dynasty period (1651). The Hall sits to the west of Haetalmun Gate.

Magoksa Temple’s Daeungbojeon is a sanctuary that enshrines Buddha Sakyamuni. With Sakyamuni positioned in the middle, the Hall also enshrines Yaksayeoraebul and Amitabul to the right and left. Daeungbojeon Hall is also said to have been rebuilt by Gaksundaesa during the restoration of the Temple in the Joseon Dynasty period.
The Five-story Stone Pagoda at Magoksa Temple, Gongju
The Five-story Stone Pagoda standing tall in the temple's courtyard has Buddha and Bodhisattva carved on the body of the pagoda, and given the marks on each corner of the roof, it appears sound chimes used to hang from the Pagoda as well. Most of the treasures inside the Pagoda were stolen during the Japanese invasion of Korea in 1592, but in 1972, while dismantling and repairing the Pagoda, a copper incense burner and doorknob were discovered inside the stone structure.

Busosanseong Fortress is the capital fortress of the Sabi era built along the ridges of Busosan Mountain to protect the city. Samguk Sagi refers to the fortress as “Sabiseong” Fortress, but the Fortress eventually became known as “Busosanseong” Fortress as it was built on Busosan Mountain. After Baekje moved its capital from Ungjin to Sabi in 538 (16th year of King Seong), Busosanseong served as the capital fortress of Baekje for 123 years until it collapsed. Judging from the remnants of military shacks and buildings, Busosanseong was likely used as a military garrison in times of war. But at the same time, the Fortress seems to have been used as a place where kings and nobles enjoyed the beautiful nearby scenery in times of peace. If you walk up the gentle hill, you will come across a pavilion called Baekhwajeong. From there, you can enjoy a refreshing, bird’s-eye-view of Baengmagang River flowing by in the distance. The rock just below this pavilion (below the western cliff of Busosan Mountain) is Nakhwaam, which has been designated a Korean Heritage of Chungcheongnam-do. When the allied forces of Silla and Tang attacked during the reign of King Uija of Baekje, the court ladies gathered here, covered their faces with their skirts, and jumped into the water. Samguk Yusa names the rock “Tasaam,” but people began calling it Nakhwaam as the court ladies jumping off the cliff looked like flowers falling from the sky. Nearby Nakhwaam is another designated Korean Heritage of Chungcheongnam-do called Goransa Temple. The name Goransa comes from the rare Gorancho growing on the cliff behind the Temple. Goransa is particularly famous for the mineral water flowing through a nearby rock formation. According to legend, a gulp of this “Goranyaksu” water can make a person three years younger, which is why Goransa Temple is a popular attraction among travelers.

Nakhwaam is the place where the allied forces of Silla and Tang attacked and advanced on Wangseong Fortress during the reign of King Uija of Baekje (641~660 CE). The court ladies, knowing that they would be utterly humiliated when captured, made their way up Nakhwaam, then covered their faces with their skirts, and jumped off the cliff. Originally, the cliff was called Tasaam, but later on, it was renamed Nakhwaam as the court ladies had looked like flowers falling to the ground that day.

Goransa Temple
Located on the left bank of Baengmagang River near the northern basin of Busosan Mountain, Goransa is a small temple with seven sections in the front and four sections to the side. It is a Buddhist sanctum with modest living quarters for the resident monks. Interestingly, Goransa Temple is renowned more so for the Gorancho plant rather than Buddha. The Gorancho plant and the medicinal water found behind the sanctum have turned the Temple into a popular tourist attraction.

Mireuksa Temple, located near the southern basin of Mireuksan Mountain, was built during the reign of King Mu, the 30th monarch (600~641 CE) of Baekje. The Temple, the largest-ever Buddhist temple built by Baekje, was built to leverage the power of Buddhism and protect the nation from an invasion by Silla. According to records found in Samguk Yusa, while the king and queen were on their way to Sajasa Temple, three Maitreya Buddha statues appeared in a large pond at Yonghwasan Mountain (Mireuksan Mountain). Upon seeing the statues, the queen wanted to build a temple, and thus, the king reclaimed the pond and built Mireuksa Temple. Temples built by Baekje typically consist of one pagoda and one Geumdang hall. However, Mireuksa Temple was unique with three pagodas and three Geumdang halls. This unique layout reflects the Baekje people's belief in Maitreya, in other words, the belief in that the future Buddha, Maitreya, will appear and save the world. Mireuksa Temple featured two stone pagodas and another wooden pagoda. The stone pagoda on the west wing of the Mireuksa Temple Site in Iksan, which is a national treasure, was restored to its current state after 20 years of careful repairs. Built in 639 CE (39th year of King Mu), the stone pagoda is the largest and oldest among stone pagodas that remain standing today. Experts believe the stone pagoda originally had nine stories or tiers. Unfortunately, the pagoda suffered extensive damage over the years, and now, only half of the original structure - roughly up to its sixth story - remains intact. The stone pagoda was dismantled, repaired, and then restored to its original state. During this process, archaeologists were able to confirm exactly when the pagoda was erected based on information from the pagoda’s reliquaries. The stone pagoda of Mireuksa Temple, which was restored by assembling stone blocks in various sizes, is a valuable resource that shows how pagodas transitioned from wooden pagodas to stone pagodas.

The stone pagoda at Mireuksa Temple in Iksan is the largest stone pagoda in Korea and the earliest example of its kind with a clearly established date of construction. Originally, before it was damaged, the pagoda likely had nine stories. However, today, only parts of the stone pagoda up to its sixth story remain. Records also show that in 1915, the Japanese attempted to restore the pagoda by reinforcing the collapsed parts using concrete.