This week’s post will be short and sweet. Along with my friends Grant and Tammy, I rode up my favorite coastal road to see a hidden Pohang jewel known as Daewonsa (대원사)–or the Dragon Temple. When Grant pitched the idea for the ride to me, I assumed it was a long distance away. “Dragon Temple? Where’s that?”
“It’s at Chilpo Beach,” he answered. I was surprised, to say the least, since I’ve ridden through and around Chilpo countless times and never seen–even heard of–this Dragon Temple. Intrigued, I agreed.
So we rode through Jangseong-dong and wound our way up the recently completed Highway 20. As always, the ride was pure bliss; we wound smoothly along the coast and enjoyed the frigid sea air. Few things in Pohang put me in a better mood than a ride up 20. We passed Chilpo all too quickly and I began to wonder just where we were headed.
We soon crossed a small bridge into a quaint fishing village, where Grant broke off from the main road and led us down a road which alternated between abysmal pavement and dangerous gravel. We’d scarcely ridden for a minute when we stopped; our destination stretched before us.
I’ve seen plenty of temples in Korea. As with temples in many countries, after visiting a number of Korean temples the individual characteristics of each tend to blur together until any distinctions are lost. Daewonsa is not even remotely interested in being ‘just another temple’. For me, it was entirely unique.
The reason it stands apart is evident from the name: the Dragon Temple. Daewonsa has the usual Korean-style temple structure at the top of the hill (look in the upper left of the picture above) but it also houses a dragon that coils up the hillside.
Far from being a decoration, the dragon can be entered via its mouth–allowing worshipers and tourists alike to visit the sanctuary within and the art museum/tunnel beyond. One can actually walk the entirety of the serpent, till the cave-like hallway terminates at a small shrine in the bowels of the beast.
Visitors enter the same way they came in, through the mouth of the dragon. It is an interesting sensation emerging from the gloom and ducking out from between an impressive set of canines.
We left some time later, feeling relaxed and content with the ride. There’s nothing quite like finding an exciting new experience where you live!
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Hallo Nathan
Cool article! The entrance of the temple is almost a little too weird for me ( :
Happy travels & blogging ( :
Awesome temple! I’ve never seen such large dragons at the other ones.
This is so awesome! My very best friend is coming to visit me in Korea in a week and I’m trying to think of places to take her. I think this will make the list. That dragon looks amazing. I’ll try to do a bit of googling to figure out the address.
Nice! I think this will get you there: 경상북도 포항시 북구 흥해읍 칠포리 610
This is the link to the location on Naver:
Awesome. Thanks so much!
Here’s the Naver link, it didn’t work before:
http://goo.gl/Yw3Ce5
You’re right, temples seem to be very similar, but I still enjoy them, especially in the spring or when going on a hike. I’ll definitely check this one out. It’s gets hard to find new places to go after a while. I’m glad you’re on the case! Keep travelling and letting us know.
It’s interesting that you say it’s different than other Korean temples. I try to refrain from thinking, “Oh there’s another Korean temple,” but still I sometimes do. I’ll have to check this out!
I do the same. I think the closer you look, the more unique each place feels. This is one temple that makes it easy.
Another awesome looking temple! I’ve found that there are lots of temples that stand out from the rest if you look hard enough. Often the most famous ones alike with some exceptions, but I love when I find out about jewels like this one appears to be! Pohang isn’t too far, Ill definitely have to check this one out. 🙂
I’ll have to get down to Busan and check out the one you wrote about, Hongbeupsa. It looks really awesome, I like how they make an effort to reach out to foreigners!
Nooo ways that’s awesome. Will have to check it out. So many temples to see… So little time!
I’m fascinated by Asian culture. Great post, sounds like the trip up the coast road was worth while!
Thanks! Definitely worth the while, I’m hoping to go up that way again soon 🙂
I’m not usually a fan of the temples in Korea, but this one defienitely looks interesting – love the dragons and the rows of tiny Buddha statues 🙂
Yeah, it’s hard to find ones that really distinguish themselves, but this one does that in spades 🙂
Hello Nathan,
Would you like to donate the 2nd pix of the dragon for my nearly completed book on Korean Dragon Dreams?
Thank you,
Fred Jeremy Seligson
fjseligson@yahoo.com
Hello,
Would you like to donate the 2nd image of the Dragon to my nearly finished book on Korean Dragon Dreams?
Thank you,
Fred Jeremy Seligson, Seoul
fjseligson@yahoo.com