Bogwangsa Temple보광사(과천)

About

Bogwangsa Temple in Gwacheon was founded in 1929. Unlike most temples, it is unusual in being located in the middle of the city. The temple grounds hold several cultural heritage items, including a Wooden Seated Buddha designated as Gyeonggi-do Tangible Cultural Heritage, and the Stone Standing Bodhisattva from the Munwon-ri Temple Site and the Three-story Stone Pagoda of Munwon-ri, Siheung, both designated as Gyeonggi-do Cultural Heritage Materials. The Wooden Seated Buddha enshrined in Geungnakbojeon Hall is gilded and looks like a gold statue, but its wooden interior makes it all the rarer. Its rounded form gives it a comfortable, gentle feel. It is believed to have been made around the 17th century. The Stone Standing Bodhisattva from the Munwon-ri Temple Site has a body like a stone pillar and wears a canopy on its head. This is a style of bodhisattva statue that was popular in Chungcheong-do and southern Gyeonggi-do in the early Goryeo period, as seen most notably in the 10th-century Stone Standing Bodhisattva of Gwanchoksa Temple in Nonsan. The Three-story Stone Pagoda of Munwon-ri, Siheung takes its name from the temple's former address, Munwon-ri, Gwacheon-myeon, Siheung-gun. The pagoda has a single-tier base and a three-story body, and sits on a one-tier cement foundation. Judging from the shape of its base and the style of its roof stones, it is believed to have been made in the late Goryeo period.