Stele of Buddhist Monk Jijeung at Bongamsa Temple, Mungyeong

This memorial stele was erected in 924 (the 1st year of King Gyeongae’s reign) to extol Buddhist Priest Jijeung’s establishment of Bongamsa Temple, one of the Nine Mountain Schools of Seon, towards the end of the Silla Dynasty.

The eulogy was composed by Choe Chi-won, a famed scholar towards the end of the Silla Period, and was inscribed by Buddhist Seokhyegang of Bunhwangsa Temple. The eulogy is known as one of the four leading Seon Buddhism-related writings. The monument features a tortoise with a head resembling that of a dragon.

Jijeung (family name : Kim; pen-name: Doheon) was born 824 (the 16th year of King Heongang’s reig) and started his life as a monk at the age of 17 at Buseoksa Temple. When he passed away at the age of 59 at Bongamsa in 882 (the 8th year of King Heongang’s reign), the government erected the pagoda, naming him Jijeung and the pagoda Jeokjo.

Source: Korea Heritage Service signboard ↗ · collected 2026-10-08