Ancient Place In South Korea - Buddhist Temple 'Donghwasa Temple' In Palgong Mountain, Daegu

Donghwasa Temple In Mt. Palgong

I had been meaning to go to Donghwasa Temple to visit the site of the famous giant Buddha, however I was waiting for the right moment to go so I finally made it this autumn. I have to say that fall is the right season to go.

The Donghwasa Temple is located about 45 minutes from the Daegu International Airport; of course, time could change depending on the traffic. Nevertheless is not far away from the city center. After passing the main gate, there is a short path that will take to the entrance of the park. There is an information desk where you can find English brochure with important information about the temple.

The temple is ancient; actually it was last rebuilt in 1732. Also, the temple is divided in subareas, including the facilities for the templestay. The temple is also a great place to experience the Buddhist culture, you can try temple food, also it is easy to see monks walking around the temple, they are very kind so you may ask for a picture.

The foliage around the Temple is beautiful, it is possible to see leaves of many colors, and they go from green to brown. Also after a hot summer, a chill walking around the forest is just fantastic.

Donghwasa Temple is visited by many believers, so it is not unusual to find many people praying inside the temple. It is a Buddhist tradition to bring some kind of offering to Buddha, believers usually bring bags of rice.

After walking a while you will encounter path that is going to take to the main building, you just have to go through the stairs shaped like a dragon. There is a small bridge to cross a small stream of water, the environment is peaceful and the sound of the waterfall is very relaxing.

Without a doubt the main feature of the temple is the statue of Buddha, it is supposed to be one of the biggest in Asia. The statue is magnificent and it complements the view of the mountain.

Next to the statue there is a building with some religious antiques, plus you can find a meditation room inside the place. Also, inside you can find some souvenir gift, such as handcraft, handmade tablecloths. For me, as an international student that is soon going back home it was so nice to find this kind of souvenir that I bought 2 pieces for my family, I have been searching for a nice traditional Korean gift for them so I think they will enjoy it.

Address
1, Donghwasa 1-gil, Dong-gu, Daegu

Written by Libardo Gutierrez

Daegu International Student Supporter