Geumsansa, one of the largest Buddhist temple complexes in Korea, lies in the quiet, western foothills of Moak Mountain, located in North Jeolla province. “Moaksan, the so-called ‘Mother Mountain’, is the cradle of many different indigenous religions. The mountain’s shape looks like a mother cradling her baby, just as Moaksan embraces Geumsansa,” says the Templestay program. The original structures within the temple complex were built during the Baekjae reign of King Beop, in 599 CE, to pray for the king’s prosperity and good fortune, but later, it was expanded and established as the head temple for the worship of Maitreya, the future Buddha. With Adventure Korea, a budget travel company catering to foreigners in Korea, I participated in a 2-day Buddhist templestay, experiencing monastic life for the weekend. On arrival at the temple, we entered through the main gate and roamed around the temple grounds for half an hour, snapping photos and gazing at the intricate patterns on the buildings. Several buildings and relics in Geumsansa have been classified as National Treasures of Korea. We received our monastic attire, an ensemble that made me look like a pink and purple elephant. Although the smallest pants were still too long for me (because [...]
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