Haeinsa (Korean: 해인사) is a Buddhist temple located in Gayasan National Park, South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. It serves as the main temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Seon Buddhism. Haeinsa is most famous for housing the Tripitaka Koreana, a complete collection of Buddhist scriptures carved onto 81,350 wooden printing blocks, which have been kept there since 1398.

Haeinsa is one of the Three Jewels Temples and symbolizes Dharma, which refers to the Buddha’s teachings. It continues to function as an active center for Seon practice today. The temple was also the home of Seongcheol, an important Seon teacher who passed away in 1993.

History

The temple was first built in 802. A story says that two monks from the royal Daegaya family, Suneung and Ijeong, returned from Tang China and healed the wife of Aejang of Silla from her illness. In thanks for Gautama Buddha’s mercy, the king ordered the temple to be built. Another account from 900 by Choe Chi-Won says that Suneung and his disciple Ijeong gained the support of a queen dowager who became a Buddhist and helped fund the temple’s construction.

The temple complex was renovated in the 10th century, 1488, 1622, and 1644. Huirang, the temple’s abbot, had the support of Taejo of Goryeo during his reign. Haeinsa was burned in a fire in 1817 and rebuilt in 1818. A renovation in 1964 uncovered a royal robe belonging to Gwanghaegun of Joseon, who was responsible for the 1622 renovation, and an inscription on a ridge beam.

The main hall, Daejeokkwangjeon (Hall of Great Silence and Light), is unusual because it is dedicated to Vairocana, while most other Korean temples have images of Gautama Buddha in their main halls.

The Temple of Haeinsa and the Depositories for the Tripiṭaka Koreana Woodblocks were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1995. The UNESCO committee noted that the buildings housing the Tripiṭaka Koreana are unique because no other historical structure was specifically built to preserve artifacts, and the methods used to protect them were particularly clever.

The temple also holds several official treasures, including a realistic wooden carving of a monk, interesting Buddhist paintings, stone pagodas, and lanterns.

During the Korean War, the area around Haeinsa Temple was a place where North Korean guerrillas and the allied forces of South Korea and the United Nations Command fought. In September 1951, during an anti-guerilla bombing campaign, Air Force Colonel Kim Young-hwan was ordered to destroy the temple. He refused and instead led his squad of fighter jets over the temple without dropping a single bomb.

Janggyeong Panjeon (National Treasure No. 32)

The storage halls known as the Janggyeong Panjeon complex are the storage place for the Tripiṭaka Koreana woodblocks at Haeinsa. The Korean government named these halls a National Treasure on December 20, 1962. They are among the largest wooden storage buildings in the world. These halls remained undamaged during the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–98) and were not harmed by a fire in 1818 that destroyed much of the temple. In total, the halls have survived seven major fires and one near-bombing during the Korean War. During the war, a pilot ignored orders to attack because he remembered the temple held valuable treasures.

The Janggyeong Panjeon complex is the oldest part of the temple and holds 81,258 wooden printing blocks from the Tripiṭaka Koreana. The exact date the hall was built is unknown, but it is believed that King Sejo of Joseon expanded and repaired it in 1457. The complex includes four halls arranged in a rectangle. The style is simple because the halls are used for storage. The northern hall is called Beopbojeon (Hall of Dharma), and the southern hall is called Sudara-jang ("Hall of Sutras"). These two main halls are 60.44 meters long, 8.73 meters wide, and 7.8 meters tall. Each has fifteen rooms with two additional connecting rooms. Two smaller halls on the east and west sides of the complex house small libraries.

Clever methods are used to protect the wooden printing blocks. The complex was built at the highest point of the temple, 655 meters above sea level. It faces southwest to avoid damp winds from the valley and is protected from cold northern winds by mountains. Windows of different sizes on the north and south sides of the main halls help control air flow using principles of water movement. Every hall has windows to improve ventilation and keep temperatures steady. Clay floors are filled with charcoal, calcium oxide, salt, lime, and sand. These materials absorb extra moisture during rain and hold it during dry winter months. The roof is made of clay, and the wooden supports and brackets help prevent sudden temperature changes. No part of the complex is exposed to sunlight. Animals, insects, and birds avoid the area, but the reason is unknown. These careful preservation methods are widely believed to have helped the woodblocks stay in excellent condition.

In 1970, a new storage building was built using modern preservation methods. However, when tests showed some woodblocks had mildew, the plan to move the blocks was canceled, and they remained at Haeinsa.

Gallery

• A statue of the Buddha located inside the temple's inner area
• Birotap Pagoda
• Statues displayed in Daejeokgwangjeon Hall
• Overall view of the temple area
• Bell and drum located within the temple