Yeoju Shiluksa Temple at Gyeonggi Province in Korean- Tour

1.     Date and Time : Aug 6, 2018.  12:00~13:00 (1 hours).

2.     Location : Yeoju City at Gyeonggi Province in Korea.

3. Particular and Summary : Shiluksa Temple was originally constructed at low Bongmisan Mountain (156.8m Altitude) in Shilla Dynasty, no detailed records when they built the temple and afterwards heavily renovated in 1440 (King Sejong 22 years). CNN recommended Shiluksa at the 50 beautiful places to visit in South Korea as 35 ranking at https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/south-korea-beautiful-places/index.html. It is particular points this temple was unusually constructed besides Namhangang (South Han River). We mostly understand temple would be not normally constructed closer to the river but at very deep forest mountain.    

4.     Access :

There are various ways to reach the Seoul Express Bus Terminal where you will take Yeoju Bus  and get off at Yeoju Bus Terminal taking 1 hour and 10 minutes, non stop.   As soon as you get off, please walk 14 minutes for 931m from the Bus Terminal to Sejongsangga Bus Stop and get on local bus No 911-1 and get off at Shiluksa Bus Stop taking 9 minutes for 2 bus stop passing. As soon as arrived at Shiluksa Bus Stop, please walk 12 minutes for 917m to Shiluksa Temple. you could refer to the map of “Transportation from Seoul Express Bus Terminal to Shiluksa Temple.
 I estimate total transportation time from Seoul Bus Terminal to Shiluksa Temple for 2 hours for one way which estimate about 4 hours for round trip. But you would reduce this transportation time to 3 hours for round trip in case you use private car or rent car which you could save one hour for the transportation. 

4.     Overall Remarks.

      Shiluksa Temple is consisting with following annex hall or pagoda and other Korea Treasures. I will introduce these items according to visiting course. If you like to look a video, please link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyRBnd5A9fw

1)     Main Gate ( Bongmisan Shiluksa) : I walked to the main Gate and found ticketing booth at left and check if I am supposed to buy the ticket or not and confirmed no need to buy the ticket due to senior, above 65 years old. As I entering the Main Gate, I could see this temple is unusually clean and well organized with surrounding healthy green pine trees.

2)     2nd Gate and Natural Garden : When I walked through the main gate, I saw 2nd Gate in front which is not far. I kept walking through the 2nd Gate and found neat and smart nature green garden looks I would be somewhere in the middle of unpolluted nature green filed. Please see at the photo and video.

3)     Geungnakbojeon (Main Temple) : Geungnakbojeon was rebuilt by King of Sookjong in 1678 and heavily renovated by King of Jeongjo in 1797. This Main Building was built with 9 square meter in front and 6 square meters at side and stably positioning at the middle of whole temple as square and accumulating style building. Amita Triad Buddha has been sitting on top of Buddha pagoda who does an act of charity to mankind. There are two supporting Buddha siting left and right as see at the photo who were splendidly decorated and well matching. Buddhist Painting for Buddha Triad was drawn on wall where Amita Triad Buddha seating which uses only two color, red and green. This painting is good matching to the Amita Triad Buddha in terms of color and position as see at the photo.  

4)     Multiple Story Stone Pagoda

The Multiple Story Stone Pagoda has been installed in front of Geungnakbojeon (Main Temple) which was particularly made with white marble stone and generally assembled on double layer foundation looks same as structure as Shilla Dynasty or Koryeo Dynasty. But detailed structure is different from others at these times like lotus imprint at foundation stone and bracken pattern at side.  

5)     Multiple Story Jeontap (Clay Pagoda)

This Pagoda has been installed at rock hill in South East of the Shiluksa Temple where you could look down widely opened South Han River flowing and twisting through Yeoju City. It was common understanding Pagoda would be normally and principally built around middle of the temple. But this principal has been change according to trend change. The pagodas were built at widely open view position like rock hill or peak cliff top where earth energy is concentrating in focus. This Pagoda was built at the rock hill outside the temple taking into account this trend change. Jeontap means to install pagoda with clay brick which is mostly at Sothern part or middle part of country.

The Pagoda is total 7 story and 9.4m high which foundation is made with granite stone. They installed clay brick in circular on top of the foundation.  

6)     Others like Korea Treasures and so on

There are other Korea Treasures like Bojaejonjasokjong (Temple Bell), Bojaejonjasokjongbi (Temple Bell Stone), Bojejonjasokdeung (Temple Stone Lantern), Josadang (Annex Temple) and Seshimjeong (Cleaning Mind through clean natural mineral water).