Beomeosa Temple

Full transcript

Annyeong, yeoreobun! It's Yul from KVIBE IDOLS. Can a fish fly? In Busan, legend says one did. Welcome to Beomeosa, the Temple of the Fish from Heaven, on Geumjeongsan mountain!

Here's the origin story. An old Korean geography book says that near the top of this mountain there is a golden well that never dries up. One day, a golden fish came down from the sky on a five-colored cloud and played in that water. So the mountain became Geumjeongsan, Golden Well Mountain, and the temple became Beomeosa, the temple of the fish from Brahma's heaven.

The real history starts in 678, in the Silla kingdom. The temple's records say the great monk Uisang founded it during the reign of King Munmu.

But here's the plot twist. In 1592, the Japanese invasions began, and Beomeosa burned. Then, around 1614, the main hall and the famous One Pillar Gate, Iljumun, were built again. Look at the gate from the side. It seems to stand on just one pillar. Daebak! And in the 1920s, under colonial rule, Beomeosa helped protect Korea's own Seon, or Zen, tradition.

Yul's tip! Take Busan Metro Line 1 to Beomeosa Station, then bus 90 up the hill. Speak softly in the halls, dress modestly, and step over the door thresholds, never on them. Spring brings wild wisteria, and you can even try a temple stay.

Next, a temple whose main hall has... no Buddha statue at all. Kaja!