Songnimsa Temple

Songnimsa Temple is a temple founded by Myeonggwan, a monk of Silla during the Three Kingdoms period, located in Gasan, Chilgok-gun. It is a temple that Myeonggwan founded in 544 upon his return from Jin China, in order to enshrine the sarira (Buddha's relics) he brought from China. It was rebuilt by National Preceptor Daegak Uicheon in 1092, and then laid to waste by Mongol soldiers in 1235. It was rebuilt again afterwards, but was destroyed by fire set by Japanese invaders in 1597. In 1858, Yeongchu rebuilt it, and it has continued to the present day. Existing buildings include the Daeungjeon (Main Hall), Myeongbujeon (Hall of Judgment), and monks' living quarters (yosachae). In front of the Daeungjeon stands the Five-story Brick Pagoda of Songnimsa Temple, which is designated as a treasure. This pagoda is an unusual, typical brick pagoda from the Silla period, and when it was dismantled and repaired in 1959, very important artifacts were discovered. At that time, inside the pagoda, a pure gold miniature shrine (bulgam), a Bodhi tree-shaped craft made with jade for the trunk and gold for the leaves, and various beads were found, all appearing to be Silla-era artifacts.