How to Visit Eunhaesa Temple, the Seongbo Museum, and Baekheungam Hermitage
Located at the foot of Palgongsan Mountain in Yeongcheon, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Eunhaesa Temple began as Haeansa Temple in 809 and is the headquarters of the 10th district of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. This guide covers the temple grounds, which are free to enter, the Seongbo Museum, and the mountain trail from the parking lot to Baekheungam Hermitage, along with opening hours, transportation, and distances.
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From a seaside temple in 809 to a temple of the silver sea
The history of Eunhaesa Temple began in 809, the first year of the reign of King Heondeok of Silla, when National Preceptor Hyecheol founded Haeansa Temple at Haeanpyeong. Today, it serves as the headquarters of the 10th district of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism and is introduced as a Mita practice center enshrining Amitabha Buddha as its principal Buddha.
The name Eunhaesa means that its magnificent appearance, filled with Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and arhats, resembles the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss where a silver sea dances. After the temple was completely destroyed by a major fire in 1545, the main hall was moved to its present location and rebuilt in 1546, after which the name Eunhaesa came into use.
Geungnakjeon Hall and Chusa calligraphy panels that survived the 1847 fire
In 1847, a fire destroyed more than 1,000 rooms of buildings at Eunhaesa Temple, leaving only Geungnakjeon Hall. After more than three years of reconstruction, the temple was restored in 1849. In 1943, it had 35 buildings and 245 rooms, but 19 buildings now remain within the main temple grounds.
The main buildings and features currently found on the grounds include Geungnakbojeon Hall (Daeungjeon Hall), Bohwaru Pavilion, Seolseondang Hall, Simgomdang Hall, the bell pavilion, Jijangjeon Hall, the Seongbo Museum, and a five-story stone pagoda. The five calligraphy plaques and door panels at Eunhaesa, Daeungjeon, Bohwaru, Bulgwanggak, and Illohyanggak are said to bear the handwriting of Kim Jeong-hui, and the three major plaques at Daeungjeon, Bohwaru, and Bulgwang are also introduced as his work.
A 1.2-kilometer walking route from the parking lot to Daeungjeon Hall
Parking facilities are available, and some sources describe them as free. From the parking lot to Daeungjeon Hall, the distance is approximately 1.2 km and takes about 30 minutes according to reviews and route information; the path continues along paved roads and a pine forest trail. Unless you are dropped off directly in front of the temple, allow time to walk from the ticket office or parking area to the actual temple grounds.
The route from Daeungjeon Hall to Baekheungam Hermitage is described as approximately 0.7 km and about 25 minutes, with mountain paths, stone steps, and a slight uphill section. The beginner-level round trip from the parking lot to Baekheungam is about 3.8 km, takes approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes, and is listed as having an elevation gain of +180 m.
How to connect to buses for Eunhaesa from Yeongcheon or Hayang Station
If arriving by train, official guidance recommends getting off at Yeongcheon Station, walking to the front of Yeongcheon Bus Terminal, and transferring to a local bus bound for Eunhaesa. The telephone number for Yeongcheon Bus Terminal is 1666-0016. Buses from Yeongcheon to Eunhaesa are listed at 06:10, 08:20, 11:30, 13:45, 17:40, and 20:20.
From Dongdaegu Station, you can take a city bus bound for Hayang and connect to a local bus for Eunhaesa in front of Hayang Bus Terminal. A transfer in front of Hayang Bus Terminal is also possible from Hayang Station. The telephone number for Hayang Daehwa Transportation is 053-857-3112. Buses returning from Eunhaesa to Yeongcheon are listed at 07:20, 09:05, 12:20, 15:15, 18:35, and 20:55, so you should determine your return time in advance during periods with long intervals between departures.
Five minutes from Cheongtong–Wachon IC; use the official address
By car, Eunhaesa is described as approximately five minutes from Cheongtong–Wachon IC on the Daegu–Pohang Expressway. The road-name address on the official Eunhaesa website is 300 Eunhaesa-ro, Cheongtong-myeon, Yeongcheon-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do (479 Chiil-ri), postal code 38866. Because the address Eunhaesa-ro 72 provided by the user differs from the address on the official website, it is safer to enter the official address, Eunhaesa-ro 300, into your navigation system first.
The administrative office telephone number is 054-335-3318, and the main fax number is 054-335-0293. The official website is http://www.eunhae-sa.org/. The latest details on bus route numbers for general visitors and the number of parking spaces and parking fees are not provided.
The free Seongbo Museum has different closing times by season
Admission to Eunhaesa Temple and the Seongbo Museum is free. The Seongbo Museum is open from 10:00 to 17:00 from April through September and from 10:00 to 16:30 from October through March. Entry is restricted beginning 30 minutes before closing. Regular closing days are every Monday, January 1, and the holiday periods for major traditional festivals.
Photography and bringing food or beverages inside the museum are prohibited. Pets other than assistance dogs are not permitted. The telephone number for the Seongbo Museum is 054-335-6991. Construction began on December 23, 1996, was completed on April 19, 2003, and the museum opened in May 2005.
How to encounter hanging banner paintings at the 140-pyeong Seongbo Museum
The Seongbo Museum is a traditional wooden building with a floor area of approximately 140 pyeong, consisting of nine bays across the front and five bays along the sides. It has indoor exhibition areas, curatorial offices, and storage rooms, allowing visitors to create an itinerary different from one focused solely on the architecture within the temple grounds.
Eunhaesa houses the Treasure No. 1270 hanging banner painting of Eunhaesa. Visitors must come during the Seongbo Museum’s operating hours to see it. Because photography is prohibited in the indoor exhibition area, the museum is better suited to travelers who wish to quietly view the actual exhibits than to those who want to document them with a camera.
When choosing Baekheungam’s mountain trail together with a temple stay
Eunhaesa has eight affiliated hermitages, and its official introduction states that it oversees 39 branch temples and five propagation centers. It also explains that more than 100 monks are practicing at places such as Unbuam and Gigiam meditation halls for monks and Baekheungam’s meditation hall for nuns. Accordingly, the route toward Baekheungam is closer to a mountain visit than to an ordinary walk on level ground.
Guidance warns that the mountain path to Baekheungam can become muddy and slippery after rain, so shoes with good traction are recommended. Temple stays are described as available to visitors of all ages. The one-night, two-day program costs 60,000 won for adults and 50,000 won for children, and reservations are required. The temple-stay telephone number is 054-335-3308, and the trekking course from the parking lot to Baekheungam is described as taking approximately four hours including rest breaks.
Four things first-time foreign visitors may easily miss
First, no separate operating hours or closing days are provided for the main Eunhaesa temple grounds themselves, but the Seongbo Museum has seasonal operating hours and is closed on Mondays. Second, although admission is free, entry to the museum is restricted from 30 minutes before closing, and photography inside is prohibited.
Third, bus route numbers for general visitors and sections accessible by wheelchair or stroller have not been confirmed. Fourth, official Eunhaesa information mentions a regular ceremonial-service vehicle departing at 08:30 from across from Lotte Rent-a-Car near Exit 5 of Dongdaegu Station and stopping via a location near Exit 3 of Ansim Station. However, it has not been confirmed whether this operates regularly for general visitors, so it should not be confused with the local bus service.
Before You Go
- Address
- 300 Eunhaesa-ro, Cheongtong-myeon, Yeongcheon-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do (479 Chiil-ri), postal code 38866
- Hours
- Seongbo Museum: April–September 10:00–17:00 / October–March 10:00–16:30; entry restricted from 30 minutes before closing
- Closed
- Every Monday, January 1, and major holiday periods
- Admission
- Free admission to Eunhaesa and the Seongbo Museum
- Phone
- Administrative office 054-335-3318 / Temple stay 054-335-3308 / Seongbo Museum 054-335-6991
- Official site
- http://www.eunhae-sa.org/
- Transport
- Local buses bound for Eunhaesa are available from Yeongcheon Station or Dongdaegu Station and Hayang Station; the temple is described as approximately five minutes from Cheongtong–Wachon IC
- Parking
- Parking facilities available; some sources describe them as free
- Time needed
- The trekking course from the Eunhaesa parking lot to Baekheungam takes approximately four hours including rest breaks.
- Accessibility
- The route from the parking lot to Daeungjeon is described as paved roads and a pine forest trail; the route from Daeungjeon to Baekheungam includes mountain paths, stone steps, and a slight uphill section
The information above is current as of the time of writing. Check the official information again before visiting.
Places
Nearby Attractions 3
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1
Geojo-sa TempleExplore this historic temple, home to the National Treasure Yeongsanjeon Hall and the Five Hundred Arhats. -
2
Chisan Tourist SiteA place for walking and trekking along Chisan Valley and Chisan Waterfall -
3
Food & Dining 3
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4
Eunhaesa Mijeong RestaurantA place to enjoy tofu-centered Korean dishes such as rustic tofu hot pot and soft tofu. -
5
Eunhaesa Yukhaegong RestaurantA place to enjoy mountain vegetable dishes such as grilled deodeok and stone-pot rice. -
6
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