Guinsa Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
Buddhist temple in South Korea
About Guinsa
Guinsa is the headquarters of theCheontae(천태) school of Buddhism, the Korean version ofChina's Tiantai teachings. Once the largest and most powerful of Korea's 18 school, Cheontae gradually lost popularity over the years and disappeared entirely for some time, but was re-established in 1945 by Sangwol Wongak and now commands a respectable two million followers. The temple is strikingly located, squeezed into a narrow valley surrounded on all sides by mountains. Unlikely many of Korea's temples, Guinsa is fairly new, being founded by Sangwol Wongak in 1945 as the head temple of his reborn sect. But this is partly what makes it so dazzling: unlike the musty National Treasures with fading colors and peeling edges locked away in glass cabinets at other temples, everything at Guinsa is shiny
Top Attractions in Guinsa
Explore the best things to see and do in Guinsa:
- ★5-Story Law Hall
- ★Cafeteria Hall
- ★Central courtyard
- ★Four Heavenly Kings Gate
- ★Great Teacher Hall
- ★Storehouse Hall
- ★The bus terminal
Guinsa Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 11 sections including: