Gwisinsa Temple

Introduction of tourist site

Gwisinsa Temple where is a stage of Yang Gui-ja's novel 'The Hidden Flower'(the grand prize of Yi Sang Literature Award in 1992) is expressed as 'a place where a god who gets tired going around eternity comes back to take a rest' in the novel. Gwisinsa Temple where people might immediately see Daejeokgwangjeon Hall with Vairocana Buddha, a main Buddha, which sheds light of wisdom feeling vertical rather than horizontal while stepping on the stairs is Sillagye temple founded in Baekje as one of Hwaeomsipchal temples(Silla unified three Kingdoms was founded for ideal unification or for political reason in border area of Goguryeo or Baekje) Great Master Uisang founded with Silla royal family aid in the 16th year of Silla, King Munmu. There is another view that it was founded as Naewon Buddhist temple(Jabok Buddhist temple: a temple to pray good fortune of Baekje royal family) of Baekje royal family. It is based on a stone image of an animal and Namgeunseok stone behind Daejeokgwangjeon Hall. Installing Namgeunseok stone in a temple is a unique feature of Jabok Buddhist temple of Baekje royal family.

There is another view of Namgeunseok stone. It was built to push yin energy because the place was Gusunhyeol based on geometric geography. When the temple was founded, the name was Guksinsa(國信寺), and the name have been changed into Gusunsa(狗脣寺) and Gwisinsa(歸信寺). However, we do not know when each of the names has been changed. Gwisinsa Temple is overwhelmed by the power of Geumsansa Temple and looks like a small temple. However, it was a training place for monk soldiers in Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1592, and Geumsansa Temple was a branch temple for a while. Things to surmise the size of temple are Gwisinsa Buddha in the center of paddy field before entering Gwisinsa Temple and Cheongdori Three-story Stone Pagoda 100m away from Gwisinsa Temple in the west. For a while, it had 8 small temples, so Cheongdori Three-story Stone Pagoda is presumed to be established by one of small temples of Gwisinsa Temple.