Daeungjeon Hall of Seonunsa Temple, Gochang

This building is the main hall of Seonunsa, one of the most renowned Buddhist temples in Gochang. The temple’s name “Seonun (禪雲)” means “to attain the profound truth by meditating in clouds.”

Founded in 577, the temple was burnt down in 1597 during the Japanese invasions and was rebuilt in the 1610s. The current Daeungjeon Hall was constructed in 1614 and went through several repairs and reconstructions. The pillars of this building were made by using curved tree trunks, adding natural beauty to the building. Inside the hall, there is a coffered ceiling, which is exquisitely decorated with paintings of dragons, clouds, cranes, and lotus flowers.

In general, a Daeungjeon Hall enshrines Sakyamuni Buddha. However, Daeungjeon Hall of Seonunsa Temple has Vairocana (the Cosmic Buddha) at the center, with Bhaisajyaguru (the Medicine Buddha) and Amitabha (the Buddha of the Western Paradise) to either side. This buddha triad was designated as Treasure in 2012.

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