Yeongcheonsa Temple (Wonju)

Yeongcheonsa Temple (靈泉寺) is a Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism temple located in Taejang 1-dong, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do. Yeongcheonsa is an ancient temple founded by the renowned monk Naong during the Goryeo period. Originally named Yeongjeonsa (令傳寺), it was later renamed Yeongcheonsa because a mysterious spring was said to rise near the temple. In the late Goryeo period, Hyegeun spent his final years at this temple, and after his passing, a sarira stupa was erected in 1388 (the 14th year of King U of Goryeo). It flourished as the largest temple in the Wonju region until the mid-Joseon period, but was burned down during the Japanese invasions of Korea in 1592 (the 25th year of King Seonjo of Joseon), greatly diminishing its scale. In 1938, a man named Park Cheosa had a dream in which the Buddha told him to build a temple, so he constructed a dharma hall and renamed the temple Yeongcheonsa, rebuilding it. The temple was again destroyed by fire during the Korean War in 1950. In 1958, Kim Jong-gil rebuilt the Daeungjeon (main hall), and subsequent Buddhist projects were continued by figures such as Seongwang, leading to the temple as it stands today.