Cheoneunsa Temple (Samcheok)天恩寺

Cheoneunsa Temple in Samcheok is a subsidiary temple of Woljeongsa Temple, the 4th district head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, located in Naemiro-ri, Miro-myeon, Samcheok-si, Gangwon-do. The history of Cheoneunsa dates back to Baeknyeondae, where it is said to have been founded in the 17th year of King Gyeongdeok's reign (738 AD) when three ascetic sages (duta) from India brought white lotuses. It is where Yi Seung-hyu authored "Jewang Ungi" (Songs of Emperors and Kings) during the reign of King Chungnyeol of Goryeo, and currently, the area around Cheoneunsa has been designated as Historic Site "Yi Seung-hyu's Historic Site." It is said that Yi Seung-hyu built Yongandang and borrowed Buddhist scriptures from Samhwasa Temple to read. Later, he donated Yongandang to the temple and changed the temple's name to Ganjangam. In the 3rd year of Gwangmu (1899), when Mokjoreung, the tomb of Yi Seong-gye's 4th generation ancestor, was built in Hwalgi-ri, Miro-myeon, this temple was designated as a won-dang (royal prayer) temple and its name was changed to Cheoneunsa, meaning 'temple that received royal grace.' It was almost completely ruined by fire during the Korean War but was rebuilt by Master Mun Il-bong in 1983. Within the precincts of Cheoneunsa, there is Dongansa Shrine, commemorating Yi Seung-hyu. In spring, if you walk along the gravel path, you can see cherry blossom trees in full bloom.