Yeowoo Sangwonsaji Designated as Gyeonggi-do Cultural Heritage... Fruit of 10 Years of Effort

Yeoju City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Lee Choongwoo) announced on April 9 that 'Yeowoo Sangwonsaji,' located on Hyemoksan Mountain, has been officially designated and announced as a Gyeonggi-do Cultural Heritage (Monument) for its recognized historical and academic value.

Sangwonsa Temple Site in Yeoju. Provided by Yeoju City.

Hyemoksan Mountain (慧目山) in Yeoju, where Sangwonsaji is located, carries the meaning of "the wisdom that awakens ignorance." The newly designated Sangwonsaji is an ancient Buddhist temple site believed to have been the initial place of practice for Venerable Hyeonuk, the founder of the Bongnim Mountain Gate, one of the Nine Mountain Zen Sects of Unified Silla, before he moved to Godalsa Temple.

This site, long shrouded in mystery and previously referred to as 'Hyemoksan Temple Site' or 'Sansang Temple Site,' was archaeologically confirmed as the 'Sangwonsa Temple' mentioned in historical records when roof tiles inscribed with the characters 'Sangwon (上院)' were unearthed during excavation. Furthermore, the discovered building sites and remains of Buddhist stupas were found to be closely related to the nearby nationally designated Godalsa Temple Site, highlighting Sangwonsaji's significant position in Buddhist history.

This designation as a Gyeonggi-do Cultural Heritage is the result of more than ten years of persistent effort by Yeoju City and the Yeoju Museum. Starting with a preliminary academic survey in 2016, the city conducted a total of five annual excavation campaigns from 2020 to 2024. The first excavation in 2020 began with the city’s own budget, but, upon recognizing the site's importance, the National Heritage Administration (formerly the Cultural Heritage Administration) selected it for a government support project, enabling the second through fifth excavations to be completed with national funding. Based on these achievements, Yeoju City and the Yeoju Museum held a special exhibition last year titled "Yeowoo Sangwonsa, Awakened from the Earth," as well as an academic conference, widely publicizing the value of the Sangwonsaji site both domestically and internationally.

With its official designation as a Gyeonggi-do Cultural Heritage, Yeoju City plans to establish a systematic maintenance plan to create a historical and cultural space and develop it into a regional tourism content.

Jeon Gimun, head of the Culture and Arts Department, stated, "It is very meaningful that this site, which remained in ruins for so long, has finally been recognized for its value as a cultural heritage through years of excavation, special exhibitions, and academic conferences. We will proceed with the maintenance project without delay so that citizens can enjoy a space that connects them with history."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.