# Borimsa > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Borimsa > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Borimsa.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borimsa > Source revision: 1350455613 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Temple in Jangheung, South Korea}} thumb | right | alt=Borimsa Temple, Jangheung | Borimsa Temple, Jangheung '''Borimsa Temple''' ({{Korean|hangul=보림사|hanja=寶林寺}}) is one of the oldest Korean temples on [Gaji Mountain](/source/Gajisan_(South_Jeolla)) in [Jangheung County](/source/Jangheung_County), [South Jeolla](/source/South_Jeolla), [South Korea](/source/South_Korea). The temple holds great significance as the first [Seon Buddhist](/source/Korean_Seon) temple during [Unified Silla](/source/Unified_Silla). ==Myth== The great monk Wonpyo, while studying in Borim temple in India and China, missed the good climate of the Korean peninsula, and returned to Silla, looking for a place to construct a temple. One day he paid a visit to Gaji Mountain in present Jangheung. All of sudden, a fairy appeared, telling him that nine dragons were wreaking havoc around the pond where she had been living. The monk threw a charm into the pool, expelling all the dragons except for a white dragon. Eventually, the white one also left but lost his tail in the nearby forest. That place became Yongmunso (용문소), meaning the pond was dug by the dragon's tail; the great monk claimed this place for founding his temple. Following this legend, local names include many elements related to ''yong'' (용, "dragon").[http://korean.visitkorea.or.kr/kor/ut/smart/smart_list.jsp?cid=126367 Korea be Inspired!]{{Dead link|date=June 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} ==History== During Unified Silla, nine temples in mountains of this area were considered significant Buddhist temples. Ilyeon, the author of [Samgukyusa](/source/Samgukyusa), one of the most prominent historic books about Korean history, also belonged to Borim Temple. In 860, King [Heonan of Silla](/source/Heonan_of_Silla) encouraged the great monk Chejing (체징) to build this temple, which later was named after temples of the same name in India and China.[https://web.archive.org/web/20101126034342/http://koreasan.com/theme/theme_view.php?category=3&id=tour_board&num=412 Koreasan.com] In the 14th century, under the reign of [Gongmin of Goryeo](/source/Gongmin_of_Goryeo), the great monk Bowoo worked to harmonize different denominations in order to restrengthen Seon Buddhism in Korea. From the foundation of [Joseon dynasty](/source/Joseon) in 1392, several annexes of the temple were rebuilt and much enlarged. This was a difficult period, however, owing to Joeseon suppression of Buddhism.[https://archive.today/20130415073231/http://slowly.invil.org/travel/sight/contents.jsp Jangheung county - village web site] During the [Korean War](/source/Korean_War), 20 annexes except for two gates were burned down in a punitive expedition sent by commanders who suspected the temple of housing partisan rebels. After the war, the temple underwent several restorations and now holds several national treasures. ==References== {{Buddhist temples in Korea}} Category:9th-century Buddhist temples Category:Buildings and structures of Silla Category:Jangheung County Category:Tourist attractions in South Jeolla Province Category:Buddhist temples in South Korea Category:9th-century establishments in Korea --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Borimsa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borimsa) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borimsa?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.