Enganji Temple

A temple built at the request of Kim Yu-shin, the hero of the unification of the Three Kingdoms.

From Bulguksa Station on the Donghae Line, which connects Busan and the steel city of PohangUlsanHeading 11km south towards Ulsan to Mohwa-yok Station (abandoned station), and about 3km east towards the foot of Bongse Mountain, you will come across Wonwonsa Temple, said to have been founded by Kim Yu-shin, who played a key role in the unification of the three kingdoms. Wonwonsa Temple was founded by Anhye and Nangyong, disciples of Monk Myeongrang, who founded the Silla Shinin sect, along with Kim Shin, Kim Ui-won, and Kim Sul-jong, to protect Silla from the Tang dynasty of China with the power of Buddhism. As the Gate Fortress, built during the reign of King Seongdeok, the 33rd king of Silla, is located nearby, it is said to have also been built to pray for the prevention of Japanese soldiers from invading.

Unganji Temple flourished as a Shinin sect esoteric Buddhist temple from the Unified Silla period to the first half of the Goryeo period, but fell into disuse during the latter half of the Joseon period. The abandoned pagoda was discovered by Tosaburo Sugiyama in 1921, and Ushio Nose of Kyoto University in Japan conducted excavation work, restoring the three-story stone pagoda (Treasure No. 1931) on the site that was discovered in 3.

Three-story stone tower

At the site of the former Enganji temple, which stands on a hill behind the current Enganji temple, there are two triple-story stone pagodas lined up on the east and west sides, and the base of the pagoda features a rare paneled stone carving of the twelve Chinese zodiac animals wearing everyday clothing, and the body of the pagoda features carvings of the Four Heavenly Kings. The two-tower temple layout emerged after Silla unified the three kingdoms, and some say that the stone pagoda was built 8 years after Enganji temple was founded, since the carvings on the body of the pagoda suggest that it dates to between the end of the 9th century and the beginning of the 100th century.

The twelve zodiac animals and the four heavenly kings are carved into the base and body of the tower.

In addition, the foundation, the site of the Golden Hall, the three-story stone pagoda, and the stone lantern from that time remain, and to the left of the site of the Golden Hall is a small building built over a spring with a painting of the Dragon King inside and a well on the floor of the building. This well dates back to the Silla period and is called "Yongdang."

It would be interesting to compare the zodiac statues at Wongwansa Temple, located almost on the border between Gyeongju and Ulsan and associated with Kim Yu-shin, who played a major role in the unification of the Three Kingdoms, with the zodiac statues surrounding General Kim Yu-shin's tomb!