Seokwangsa Temple석왕사(경기)

About

Seokwangsa Temple, on Bounsan Mountain in Wonmi-gu, Bucheon, Gyeonggi-do, is a temple directly administered by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. Under the motto "Right Buddhism, Practiced Buddhism," it carries out a wide range of activities as an urban missionary temple despite its short history. Founded in 1976 by Venerable Gosan, a former head of the order's administration, with Dharma services held in a tent, Seokwangsa grew within about 20 years into a leading urban temple in the capital region, with 15,000 registered member households. Yet the temple draws attention not only for its size but for its many efforts to connect closely with the local community, including a daycare center, a kindergarten, events for the elderly, cultural events, and publishing. By publishing the Seokwangsabo newsletter, it effectively began the first missionary work through print in modern Korean Buddhism, and it broke new ground in Buddhist community and social democratization movements through children's outreach centered on its kindergarten and daycare center, founding and running a consumer cooperative, publishing the Bucheon Citizen Newspaper, and founding and running the Bucheon House for Migrant Workers. In the 1980s in particular, Seokwangsa was a regular meeting place for democracy and labor activists and became known as Bucheon's sacred site of democratization. Only the Iljumun gate, the Dharma hall, the octagonal nine-story pagoda, and the bell pavilion tell you it is a temple; the atmosphere is unlike any other. The grounds include a consumer cooperative, a Beautiful Store, a free clinic, Lumbini Swimming Pool, a daycare center, a kindergarten, Wangsaeng Geungnakjeon (funeral hall), and Allak Jeongto (columbarium). Trucks loaded with goods come and go from the co-op and the Beautiful Store, a group of children chatter at the daycare center below, and at the funeral hall and Myeongbujeon Hall, grieving families in black mourning clothes linger with somber faces.