☸️ Tongdosa Temple
South Korea
About This Sacred Site
Tongdosa Temple in Yangsan is one of Korea's three jewel temples and unique in that its main hall contains no Buddha statue — it enshrines actual relics of the historical Buddha, brought from China by the monk Jajang in 646 CE. This makes Tongdosa the 'Temple of the Buddha' among Korea's three jewel temples. The complex contains 35 buildings and 14 hermitages spread across a forested valley, and the Diamond Ordination Platform where the relics are kept is the most sacred site in the complex.
Key Facts
- •Part of the UNESCO 'Sansa' Buddhist Mountain Monasteries since 2018
- •The main hall has no Buddha statue; it enshrines actual Buddha relics
- •Monk Jajang brought the relics from Tang China in 646 CE
- •Represents the Buddha among Korea's three jewel temples
- •Contains 35 buildings and 14 hermitages in a forested valley
Location
Coordinates: 35.4872, 129.0622
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