Sinheungsa Temple in Sokcho

Site details

Sinheungsa Temple, originally founded by the Silla monk Jajang in the Three Kingdoms period, was reconstructed at its current location during the reign of King Injo of the Joseon Dynasty. According to legend, three monks had a dream in which a white-haired deity appeared and designated the site as a holy land that would be free from disasters for millennia. Inspired by this vision, they rebuilt the temple and named it Sinheungsa, meaning "Newly Flourishing Temple," signifying that it would prosper under divine protection. In 1995, the temple's name was updated to include the character '新' (new) to symbolize the revival of Buddhism in the Yeongdong region. The temple complex houses numerous cultural assets, including the 'Wooden Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Triad', 'Wooden SeatedAMitabha Buddha Triad', 'Bronze Incense Burner', 'Geungnakbojeon Hall', 'Woodblocks', 'Bojeru Pavilion', 'Three-story Stone Pagoda of Hyangseongsa Temple Site', and 'Three Buddhas Hall'. These artifacts have preserved their cultural value over time and were designated as Gangwon Cultural Heritage Materials in 1984.