Jungakdan Shrine in Gyeryongsan Mountain, Gongju

Jungakdan Shrine was established in the Joseon period (1392-1910) for the performance of veneration rituals dedicated to the spirits of Gyeryongsan Mountain.

Gyeryongsan has long been regarded as an auspicious mountain. It is said that after the Buddhist monk Muhak, who was the royal preceptor during the reign of King Taejo (r. 1392-1398), saw a mountain spirit in his dream, he built an altar named Gyeryongdan on the premises of Sinwonsa Temple on Gyeryongsan Mountain and began performing rituals in 1394. In 1651, the rituals were stopped. In 1879, the altar was rebuilt on the order of Queen Min (1851-1895, posthumously Empress Myeongseong) and renamed Jungakdan, meaning “Shrine of the Central Peak.” This is because it is located between Sangakdan Shrine in Myohyangsan Mountain to the north and Haakdan Shrine in Jirisan Mountain to the south. Sangakdan Shrine and Haakdan Shrine no longer remain.

Jungakdan Shrine consists of a gate quarters, an inner gate quarters, and a main building aligned one in front of the other from front to back. Between the inner gate quarters and the main building, there is a path made of stones and bricks that reserved for use by the spirits. Spirit tablets and portraits of the spirits of Gyeryongsan Mountain are enshrined in the main building.

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