Bongwonsa Temple봉원사(서울)

About

Bongwonsa Temple, a thousand-year-old traditional Buddhist temple, was registered as a traditional temple in 2011. In July 2014, its Amitabha hanging scroll painting and its Buddhist bronze bell were registered as Seoul Tangible Cultural Heritage. Lay Buddhist groups such as Gwaneumhoe, Hwaeomhoe, the temple choir, and Minhwahoe hold regular Dharma services. The temple also runs several affiliated organizations: the Yeongsanjae Preservation Society, the Yeongsanjae Training Institute, the Korean Buddhist Yeongsanjae Preservation Association, and Okcheon Beomeum College, which teaches beompae (Buddhist chanting). Located in the heart of the city, Bongwonsa promotes Yeongsanjae, a traditional Buddhist ritual, both in Korea and abroad. Through preserving and developing this ritual, it strives to live up to its standing as a head temple of traditional Buddhism and to be a place where people can deepen their faith in everyday life.