Waujeongsa - 와우정사

In each of the different places I've lived in Korea, there been I place nearby that I'll go to when I just feel like being in a familiar spot, away from my house, but not too far. This year, that spot has been Waujeongsa, a temple tucked in small but plentiful Yunwha mountains.

The first time I heard of the temple was looking through a book of temple food at the teahouse in Seoul. There were pictures of delicious looking temple dishes with information about the food and the temple it was prepared at, then a photo displaying a defining element of the temple. I don't remember what the food featured for Waujeongsa was, but I remember being impressed by the beautiful, large Buddha head, carved from stone, sitting on the ground. It claimed that it was the largest Buddha head in the world, and when I saw that it wasn't very far away (even though I was living in bundang at the time), I figured out the bus root to get there.

The bus wound through the mountains for a few kilometers, then dropped me off beside a small rice paddy. I looked across the road and saw the giant Buddha head in the distance, not exactly how I'd seen it depicted in the book. The picture might have been taken when the head has just been delivered, or at least not yet completed, because now, it is painted gold, with a green tinge in its hair, and propped up on huge shoulders of piled stone. Overlooking a large carp pond, it does make for a, well, unique sight, but, each time I see it, I can't help but think of the beautiful stone face I first saw in the photograph.

Beside the pond is a long hall with a small museum of Buddha statutes from around the world. There one stone one that particularly interesting, as it was carved with a rather thick, curly beard. Following a steep path up the hill, there is a row of beautiful pagodas, built with brick-like, rounded stones, which look even more lovely in April, as long branches full of cherry blossoms dangle down around them.  On top of the hill is a small shrine, tucked into the hill, with a reclining Buddha image, skillfully carved from a Juniper tree imported from India.