Taego Temple

Taego-sa is a temple located under Nakjo-dae, on the eastern ridge of Macheondae in Daedunsan Mountain. It is said to have been founded by Ven. Wonhyo during the reign of King Sinmun of Silla. When Ven. Wonhyo first saw this temple site, he was so delighted by the magnificent surrounding scenery that he exclaimed, 'May practitioners never cease here through countless generations,' and danced for three days. It is said that in the Goryeo period, Ven. Taego rebuilt it, and in the Joseon period, Ven. Jinmuk rebuilt it a third time. Uam Song Si-yeol, a scholar of the Joseon Dynasty, studied here, and the characters "Seokmun" (石門, Stone Gate) carved into the rock face at the temple entrance are also known to have been written by him. Taego-sa was destroyed during the Korean War and has been restored since 1974.