Munsusa Temple (Iksan)

Munsusa Temple is a branch temple of Geumsansa Temple, the head temple of the 17th diocese of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, located on Cheonhosan Mountain in Yeosan-myeon, Iksan-si, Jeollabuk-do. Munsusa Temple is situated on Cheonhosan Mountain in Yeosan-myeon, the entrance from Chungcheong-do to Jeolla-do. Since ancient times, Cheonhosan Mountain has been revered as a sacred site where the three great bodhisattvas—Munsu (Manjushri), Bohyeon (Samantabhadra), and Gwaneum (Avalokiteshvara)—descended to the secular world to enlighten sentient beings. Among them, Munsusa Temple is regarded as the sacred site of Munsu Bodhisattva, who resolves the afflictions and suffering of sentient beings and shines the light of bright wisdom according to their vows.

It holds a history of being founded by Master Hyegam in 881 during the Silla period, but over the long years of repeated rise and fall, only the reconstruction monument and stupa standing in the front yard of the temple remain to trace its old traces. At one time, it maintained its temple scale to the extent of having the nearby Gwaneum sanctuary Baengnyeonam Hermitage as its affiliated hermitage, but it nearly reached the brink of abandonment. Recently, with the appointment of Bhikkhuni Wongong as the head monk, the temple's appearance was renewed and reorganized into Geungnakjeon Hall, Myeongbujeon Hall, Samseonggak Hall, and a Seonwon (meditation hall).