Hyeonamsa Temple

Some legends have it that Hyeonamsa Temple was built by Seongyeong Daesa in the 3rd year of King Jeonji’s (407) reign during the Baekje Dynasty, while other say it was built by Kim Seon Gyeong Daesa during the reign of the Silla Dynasty’s King Seongdeok (702~736) or by a Buddhist monk from Goguryeo. However, these are simply legends. Authentic history does not have any records of Hyeonamsa Temple.

But various geographical books of the Joseong Dynasty call Hyeonamsa Temple ‘Gyeongbulsa Temple’ or “Hyeonsa Temple.’ That is to say, early records of Joseon such as Sinjeungdonggukyeojiseungram called the temple Gyeonbulsa Temple. In the second half of the Joseon Dynasty, the temple was also called Hyeonsa Temple. At the moment, the temple is called Hyeonamsa Temple. It is said that Hyeonamsa Temple was originated from the transcribtion of its secular name ‘Daramjeol’ in Chinese letters.

Therefore, now we know that the name of Hyeonamsa Temple has been changed from Gyeonbulsa Temple to Hyeonsa Temple to Hyeonamsa Temple. It also proves that the temple has survived from the early period of the Joseon Dynasty.

Hyeonamsa Temple commands a great view of Daecheonghoban before Guryongsan Mountain. As such, the temple was picked as one of Cheongju’s beautiful scenes in ancient times and called “Hyeonsamojong” or “Hyeongsamanjong.” Buildings in the temple are the Daeungjeon, with three frontal partitions and two side partitions, and Yonghwajeon, with the same partitions as Daeungjeon. Daeungjeon was reconstructed in 1988. In addition, the temple had the Sansingak and Yosa built in the 1940s and 1980s, respectively. Yosa is a concrete structure and its second floor is a belfry. As such, a recently made big bronze bell was hung from the ceiling of the room of the second floor.

Its famous relics are the Stone Seated Buddha inside Yonghwajeon and a bell-type stone stupa behind Sansingak. The temple is dotted with pieces of earthenware, chinaware, and rooting tiles from the Goryeo Dynasty to the Joseon Dynasty.

Gyeongbu Expressway (8.7km) → Dangjinyeongdeok Expressway (9.5km) → Daecheonghoban-ro (7.5km) → Arrival