Bomunsa Temple

SOUTH KOREA, Incheon

Bomunsa means Universal Gate Temple and is located on Seongmodo Island in Incheon. The temple is said to have been constructed in 635 by Queen Seondeok (reigned 632–647) during the Silla dynasty. It is one of the three largest Korean temples dedicated to Avalokitesvara, the other two being Boriam Hermitage on Namhae Island and Hongryunam Hermitage at Naksansa Temple.
The temple is famous for its natural caves and a cliff sculpture of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. Its structures include the One Pillar Gate, Cave Hermitage, Great Hero Hall, Ultimate Bliss Hall, Hall of the Three Sages, Judgment Hall, Arhat Hall, and bell tower. On entering the temple the most noticeable feature is the 600-year-old Chinese juniper tree, behind which stands Cave Hermitage, a hall built within a natural cave enshrining Arhat statues. The Ultimate Bliss Hall is a five-by-three bay structure with a single-eave hip-and-gable roof. The hall contains a statue of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva and 3,000 Buddha images. When it was constructed the bell within the bell tower was the largest of its kind in Korea. It measures 215 cm, weighs nearly 5 t, and is carved with dragon, apsara, and lotus motifs. The famous sculpture on the cliff is a representation of Avalokitesvara. The Bodhisattva is depicted with a crown, nimbus, and mandorla, and is seated cross-legged on a lotus throne holding a water vessel. There is a pair of stone lanterns in front of the sculpture.