Songnisan Route Combining Beopjusa Temple and Sejo Road

Why Master Uisin Founded Beopjusa Temple on Songnisan Mountain in 553

Beopjusa Temple is located on Songnisan Mountain. It is said that Master Uisin founded the temple here in 553, the 14th year of the reign of King Jinheung of Silla, after bringing Buddhist scriptures from the Western Regions and seeing the rugged mountain terrain. Today, Beopjusa is the headquarters temple of the 5th district of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism.

In 776, the 12th year of the reign of King Hyegong, Master Jinpyo carried out a large-scale renovation, and the temple developed its full scale through the Goryeo period. After being completely destroyed during the Jeongyu War, it was rebuilt and expanded in 1624, the second year of King Injo's reign, by the monks Samyeong and Byeogam. For this reason, the various halls and cultural heritage sites seen today were not all built during a single period.

Four National Treasures to See First at 405 Beopjusa-ro

The central hall within the temple grounds is Daeungbojeon Hall. Daeungbojeon is Treasure No. 915, and Beopjusa has 3 National Treasures, 13 Treasures, 1 Natural Monument, and 24 provincially designated cultural heritage sites.

See Palsangjeon Pagoda first. Palsangjeon is the only surviving wooden pagoda in Korea and is National Treasure No. 55. Next, the Twin-Lion Stone Lantern is National Treasure No. 5, while the Stone Lotus Basin is National Treasure No. 64. The Rock-carved Seated Maitreya Buddha is a 6-meter-high stone Buddha from the Goryeo period, and the Gilt-bronze Maitreya Buddha stands 33 meters tall and is a large Buddhist statue made with more than 100 tons of bronze.

How to Prepare a 5,000-Won Admission Ticket from Sunrise to Sunset

The Korea Tourism Organization lists operating hours as from sunrise to sunset. Separate information specifies 04:00–20:00 in summer and 05:00–20:00 in winter, with admission closing at 18:00. Although it is listed as open year-round, visitors cannot begin viewing the temple grounds after admission closes, so it is safer to avoid arriving late in the afternoon.

As confirmed in 2026, individual admission fees are 5,000 won for adults, 2,500 won for teenagers, and 1,000 won for children. Group fees are 4,000 won for adults, 1,600 won for teenagers, and 800 won for children. The age categories are adults 19–65, teenagers 13–18, and children 7–12. Admission fees should be reconfirmed according to the current official information.

Starting-Point Guide for International Visitors Traveling to Songnisan-myeon, Boeun

The address is 405 Beopjusa-ro, Songnisan-myeon, Boeun-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do. Beopjusa's official website is https://beopjusa.org/kor, and its main telephone number is 043-543-3615. The official Songnisan National Park page provides transportation information for trail starting points, but specific bus route numbers, stops, and walking times to Beopjusa are not provided.

Therefore, if you are departing from a train station or bus terminal in Seoul or another city, you should separately plan a same-day public transportation connection to the Beopjusa area of Songnisan-myeon, Boeun-gun. Visitors arriving by car can use the temple parking lot, with a daily parking fee of 7,000 won. The number of available spaces and the exact walking distance from the parking lot to the temple grounds are not provided.

• Beopjusa main telephone: 043-543-3615 (8655)
• Wonjusi: 043-543-4755
• Temple stay: 043-544-5656
• Songnisan National Park main telephone: 043-542-5267
• Tourism information hotline 1330: +82-2-1330, Korean, English, Japanese, and Chinese

An Afternoon on the 2.7-km Sejogil Trail from Beopjusa's Iljumun Gate

If you would like to add a walk after visiting Beopjusa, you can connect to Sejogil Trail. Sejogil Trail is 2.7 km one way from Beopjusa's Iljumun Gate to Sesimjeong, and slightly more than 3 km to Bokcheonam Hermitage. Information indicates that a leisurely round trip takes a little over two hours.

Other descriptions explain that the trail is a free 3.2-km one-way route from the Beopjusa intersection to Bokcheonam Hermitage. Of the entire course, 1.2 km is a barrier-free deck trail accessible to wheelchairs and strollers. An itinerary combining Beopjusa and Sejogil Trail can be planned for about three hours based on visitor reviews.

How to Choose a Season within the 18,590,000-㎡ Scenic Site

The Beopjusa Temple area of Songnisan is Scenic Site No. 61 and covers 18,590,000 ㎡. It was designated as a Historic Site and Scenic Site in 1966, then redesignated as a Scenic Site in 2009. Ten traditional temples, including Beopjusa, Bokcheonam Hermitage, and Talgoam Hermitage, are located in this area.

Songnisan National Park was designated Korea's sixth national park in 1970 and has a total area of 278.921 ㎢. Its highest peak, Cheonwangbong, is 1,057 meters above sea level, and eight peaks, including Cheonwangbong, Birobong, and Munjangdae, extend like a bow. The park is known for cherry blossoms in spring, pine trees in summer, autumn foliage, and snowy scenery in winter, so choose the season according to whether you want to prioritize the temple halls or the forest trails.

Often-overlooked Things to Prepare for a Temple Designated a World Heritage Site in 2018

Beopjusa and the Songnisan area were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List on July 3, 2018, together with Tongdosa, Buseoksa, Bongwonsa, Seonamsa, Daeheungsa, and Magoksa. However, the available information does not confirm photography-prohibited areas within the grounds, the scope of glass-wall or access restrictions, or whether English information signs and audio guides are available or whether cash-only payment applies.

If you plan to walk as far as Sejogil Trail, allow about three hours rather than planning only a visit to Beopjusa. Before visiting Songnisan National Park, check the designated mountain-entry hours and current trail control status. Wheelchair and stroller users can prioritize the 1.2-km barrier-free deck section, but this does not mean that the entire Sejogil Trail is barrier-free.