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During the kingdom of King Chungjong of the ChosuChosensty, in 1523 Master Shinwol
founded Hwagye-sa, Seoul which is a Buddhist temple and has been attracting
tourists from all over the globe by virtue of its magnificence. Burnt down in
the year 1618, this temple was reconstructed in the following year by Master Dowol.
Reaching the place you will get the present building which has been restored by
two monks namely, Yongso and Bomun, in 1866. After that, the temple served the
Koryo royal family.
Hwagye-sa, Seoul houses the Seoul International Zen Center under the guidance of Priest Sung-san. Foreign monks and Buddhist people dwell and practice here. The memorial pagodas for three great Zen Masters: Jok Um Zen Master, Ko Bong Zen Master and Duk Sahn Zen Master are nestled in the hillside. Packed with historical events, Hwagye-sa was regarded once as the Royal families' pray ground for the nation's well being. Not only the décor of the temple, but also the garden is very beautiful and is filled with many trees. The buildings conserve the style of the late Chosun Dynasty. Several brilliant Buddhist artistes came from here. The style of the ceiling, the ornamentation of the bracket arms, and the use of wooden panels for walls are archetypal of Buddhist structural design of the late Chosun Period. According to one legend, the water of a spring near the temple is very good for skin and stomach diseases. Therefore, many people visit to drink the water. The story behind this spring is that one day a crow pecked at a rock. Water came from the hole where it pecked and eventually became a spring. Hwagye-sa dates back to 1522, where as Taeungjon, the main prayer hall, was built in the year 1870 and has been designated Seoul Tangible Cultural Property.
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