Yongmun Temple: A temple established during the Silla age in Yongmun Mountain.  It is a branch temple of Bongseon Temple, which is the main temple of the 25th parish of Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. The Yongmun Temple was repaired and remodeled a lot of times.  It was first constructed in the year of 649 (Queen Jindeok III) by Saint Wonhyo, reconstructed in 892 (Queen Jinseong by the national priest Doseon, remodeled by Naong during the Goryeo dynasty of King Gongmin, and extensively reconstructed in 1447 (Sejong 29) during the Joseon Dynasty.  Later in 1907 (Yunghui 1), the temple was completely destroyed by the Japanese troops, and was reconstructed on a small-scale and maintained by Chwiun, the head priest at that time.  However, it was destroyed again during the Korean War and currently the only remains are three units of the Daeungjeon (main temple), temple of the Goddess of Mercy Sallyeong Tower Jong Tower Temple dormitory, etc.  This temple possesses the Sarira Tower and Stone Monument (treasure No.531) of the national priest, Jeongji, during the Joseon Dynasty.  Also, there is a 1000-year-old ginkgo tree which presents a beautiful view during autumn time.  There is legend which says that the origin of this ginkgo tree is a staff stuck into the ground by the Crown Prince Maui, the last Crown Prince of Silla, while he was entering Mt. Geumgang after the collapse of Silla.  Because of this origin, some people even say that this tree cries at the time of the nation™s disaster.  This ginkgo tree is designated as National Preservation No. 30.

Ginkgo Tree of Yongmun Temple (National Preservation No. 30)

This is the most magnificent and the biggest tree among all other ginkgo trees existing in Korea, and it stands in front of Daeungjeon (main temple) of Yongmun Temple.  The estimated age of this tree is about 1,100 years old, and it is the biggest ginkgo tree in Asia of the height of approximately 60m and the trunk circumference of 12.3m.  There are several legends regarding the origin of this tree.  Some say that this tree is planted by the last king of Silla, King Gyeongsun, and his master, Saint Daegyeong.  Others say that it is planted by the Crown Prince Maui during his destination to Mt. Geumgang with the sorrow of losing his country, or it originated from a staff stuck into the ground by a national priest of Silla, Uisang.  This tree was called ˜Cheonwangmok? which means the tree of Heaven™s king, because the temple was damaged and burned many times due to the disturbances of war, but the tree was never harmed.  Also, this tree is an old tree of historical interest which was granted Dangsangjikcheop, the government position of the 3rd rank, during the Joseon Dynasty of King Sejong.  There is another legend regarding this tree.  A long time ago, someone tried to cut off this tree with a saw but had to stop because blood spouted from the spot where the saw was touched and suddenly the sky became cloudy and thunder crashed.  Additionally, a branch of this tree was broken at the time of King Gojong™s demise, and the tree made weird sounds at the time of Korean Independence and Korean War.

National Priest Jeongji¡¯s Sarira Tower and Stone Monument of Yongmun Temple (Treasure No.531)

This Sarira Tower is built with foundation stones and stylobate. The middle stone is round-shaped and the top part is built following the basic form of octagonal shape of all planes.  For the Stone Monument, the inscriptional stone is set up on top of the rectangular-shaped pedestal stone and the top portion of right and left sides are rounded off.  This Sarira Tower was built by Joan and others in Mt. Miji [currently called Mt. Yongmun], and the Stone Monument was made in the 7th year of King Taejo (1398), with the writings of Gwongeon, who was a scholar and a great statesman of that time.

National Priest Jeongji (1324395), penname of Chugwon and the real name of Kim, Ji-Cheon, was a high priest during the end of Goryeo Dynasty.  He was born in Jaeryeong, Hwanghae-do during the 11th year of Goryeo King Chungsuk (1324) and became a priest in Hyeonam Temple of Mt. Jangsu at the age of 19. In the 2nd year of King Gongmin (1353), when he was 30, he went to Beijing, China with Jacho [Saint Muhak] to find Jigong of Beobwon Temple and received religious teachings from Hyegeun [Zen master Naong], who inherited the Buddhist learning from Jigong.  Later, he practiced asceticism in many places and returned home in the 5th year of King Gongmin (1356).  Unwilling to obtain a government position, he only concentrated in practicing asceticism until he passed away at Jeongmyeoram of Mt. Cheonma.  Many relics were found after the cremation.  He was posthumously granted as the National Priest Jeongji, with posthumous epithet of Jeongji.

Hamwang Castle Remains: Also called Hamgon Castleanggeun Castleastle of the Ham Family Leader, Hamwang Castle Remains is known as the relics from late Silla or early Goryeo, but the exact period is unknown.   This castle remains is found about 2km away from Sana Temple towards the direction to Mt. Yongmun.  Although the size of the rocks is small, the scale of Hamwang Castle Remains is extremely large.  It is still left with no restoration, but the original form is maintained.

Mt. Yongmun: A mountain formed with the steep geographical feature which is spread from the 740m-high range toward the southwest.  In the basin of Hamwang Castle Remains, there is a fountain called Gosan, which never freezes, even during midwinter.  It is a popular historic site among many mountain climbers and tourists.

Sana Temple: A temple established by the high priest Daegyeong and his pupil Yungmun during the 7th year of King Gyeongmyeong (923).  After building and enshrining a five-storied pagoda and Nosana Buddhist Statue, the temple was named Sana Temple.

During the 16th year of Goryeo King Gongmin (1367), the temple was remodeled into a size of 140 units by the king™s loyal master Bou.  In December 24th of the 8th year of Goreyo King Wu (1382), Saint Bou passed away in Soseoram of Mt. Yongmun, and his pupil Dalsim built Bou™s Sarira Tower and Stone Monument at Sana Temple the next year (1383).  Due to the Japanese Invasion of Korea in the 25th year of King Seonjo (1592), the temple was burned, and in was reconstructed by Danwol Hanbangson in the 41st year of King Seonjo (1608).  In the 51st year of King Yeongjo (1773), Dangsan Fraternity was organized by the people concerned inside Yangpyeong-gun, and managed Bullyangdap by offering Hyangdap to the Temple and built a stone monument in the precinct.  But during the first year of King Sunjong (1907), the whole temple was burned down because it was considered as the base of the troops that are opposing the invasion of Japan.

After 2 years in 1909, Gyeheon restored 15 units of the larger room, and in 1937, the head priest Maenghyeonu reconstructed 15 units of Daeungjeon (main temple) and built 5 units of the temple house called Josajeon.  After the total destruction of the temple due to the Korean War in 1950, the head priest Kim, Du-Jun and Ham, Mun-Seong reconstructed Daeungjeon (main temple), Sansingak and built Hamssigak in 1956.  In 1993, the current head priest Han, Yeong-Sang reconstructed the Daeungjeon (main temple) and Jijangjeon.  The National Priest Wonjeung™s Seokjong Tower (Provincial Tangible Cultural Asset No.72) and the National Priest Wonjeung™s Seokjong Stone Monument (Provincial Tangible Cultural Asset No.73) are possessed in the precinct.

Cultural Assets:

National Priest Wonjeung's Seokjong Tower of Sana Temple (Gyeonggi-do Tangible Cultural Asset No.72) -

National Priest Wonjeung Bou was a high priest during the end of Goryeo Dynasty whose penname is Taego, posthumous name is Wonjeung, and Buddhist priest name is Bowolseunggong.  He became a Buddhist priest at the age of 13, by the Zen priest Gwangji of Hoeam Temple.  Wonjeung passed the civil service examination in the 12th year of King Chungsuk (1325), but surrendered his fame and wealth, practiced asceticism in Gamno Temple.  He built a temple on the eastern peak of Mt. Samgak, and named it Taego Temple.   In the 2nd year of King Cheongmok (1346), he inherited the Buddhist learning of Cheonggong in the Yuan Dynasty and became the 19th Buddhist member of Imjejong.  He returned home in the 4th year of King Cheongmok (1348), practiced asceticism in Soseoram and became the National Priest and the King™s Envoy.  Wonjeung passed away in Soseoram and King Seokjong built the Tower of Wonjeung, which can be sectionalized by body, top, and foundation.  The body part has no carving on the surface and the top and bottom were horizontal.  On the top part, a flame-design carved bead is placed.  The foundation is single-pieced, both length and breadth is 1.1m, and a lotus flower-design is carved on the parts where it touches the body part.   The overall height is 2.75m.

National Priest Wonjeung's Seokjong Stone Monument of Sana Temple (Gyeonggi-do Tangible Cultural Asset No.73) -

This is the Stone Monument of National Priest Wonjeung Bou, the high priest during the end of Goryeo Dynasty.  It is standing on the right side of Hamssigak, in the precinct of Sana Temple.   This stone monument is built by digging the foundation stone, which is a natural base rock, and inserting the inscriptional stone into it. Rectangular pillars are placed for reinforcement on both sides of the inscriptional stone, and a hemispherical cover stone is placed to guard the inscriptional stone.  This form of stone monument is simplified but basically similar with Buddhist Priest Boje™s Seokjong Stong Monument of Yeoju Silleuk Temple which is built in 1379.  

The whole statement of the monumental inscription is unknown because sections of the cover stone, stylobate, and inscriptional stone are damaged.  However, we know the facts that the monumental inscription was composed by Jeong, Do-Jeon and written by Hwonmun, the head priest of Jaerim Temple, and was built by a pupil named Dalsim, during the 12th year of King Wu (1386).