The site of Bodokuji Temple

Gyeongju, the capital of Silla, also known as the roofless museum, has many ruins designated as World Heritage Sites and is now a tourist attraction visited by many tourists. However, there are still many places where the remains of Silla stone pagodas and temples have been privatized and are inaccessible to tourists.

If you drive for about 7 minutes from downtown Gyeongju on National Route 10 heading towards Bulguksa Temple, you will come across a small hill called Wangsan on the left side of the road. On that hill is the site of the 27th Dynasty of Silla, which is widely known in Japan.Tomb of Queen SeondeokAt the foot of the mountain, as if to protect the queen, are the Four Heavenly Kings, the guardian deities of Buddhism.Shitennoji Temple Sitein XNUMX minutes by bus from Yonago Station.

The famous Shitennoji Temple and Bodokuji Temple, which has a deep connection to it, face each other across National Route 7. Now, in the middle of the spacious rice fields, all that remains are the remains of the wooden towers on the east and west sides, the main hall, and other buildings, as well as the flagpole pillars, telling of the past.

Across the rice fields is the site of Bodokuji Temple, with its flagpole and pillars.

Wolf Mountain at the site of Shitennoji Temple

Beyond the foundation stones scattered here and there, you can see Wolf Mountain, the site of Shitennoji Temple.

In 668, Silla allied with the Tang Dynasty of China and destroyed Baekje and Goguryeo, but fighting against the Tang Dynasty, which sought to annex Silla and take complete control of the Korean Peninsula, continued until 676.

According to the "Samguk Yusa," in 674, Uisang, who was studying in Tang, informed King Munmu, then 30, of the imminent invasion of the Tang Dynasty. With the wish to protect Silla from the Tang Dynasty with the power of Buddhism, he built Shitennoji Temple, and Myeongrang used the secret technique of esoteric Buddhism, Mundul, to create a strong wind in the sea and sink the Tang Dynasty's ships. The Tang Dynasty, finding this strange, sent an emissary to Silla to confirm the existence of Shitennoji Temple, but Silla could not allow Shitennoji Temple to be shown in this state, so instead they built a temple called "Mangdeoksa Temple," which means to pray for the virtue of the Tang Dynasty emperor.

Each and every relic found in Gyeongju has an interesting legend behind it.

directions: Take bus number 11 at Gyeongju City Bus Terminal and get off in front of Shitennoji Temple. Travel time is about 30 minutes.
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