Located in north seoul, Gilsangsa is one of the most beautiful Buddhist temples in Korea.
This is where the monk Beopjeong, who is so much loved by Korean people, stayed since 1997 until he died in 2010.
The monk Beopjeong is famous for this teaching of “non-possession”.
This place was built long time ago but it was only in 1997 when it became a temple.
Before that, it was a renowned geisha’s house, that was used by high ranking politicians and top business men. They would come here to talk in more relaxed environment.
The owner of the geisha’s house was ‘Younghan Kim’(1916-1999), a lady who once was a geisha herself.
In 1987, she was deeply moved by the book written by monk Beopjeong and she decided to offer this whole place to beopjeong so he could use it for a temple. He did not accept it in the begining, not because this place was a geisha’s house, but because it was too much to accept.
The value of this place was as high as a hundred million dollars at that time.
Thanks to her persistant persuations Beopjeong finally accepted in 1995 and the temple was established in 1997.
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Monk Beopjeong
Right… time for the love story.
In 1930s, Younghan met a dashing young man, whose name is Baekseok, in a party and they instantly fell in love with each other.
She was a geisha but an educated and talented one, and he was a famous poet who was often referred as ‘a genius’.
They both loved literature, art and languages.
Younghan and Baekseok
They were deeply in love with each other and soon started to live together.
However, baekseok’s parents (here we go) didn’t like their relationship.
After all, he was a prosperous young poet who’s from a prestigious family and she was a geisha,
One day, he asked her to run away together with him to Manju (A Chinese province)
She refused. Although she wanted to be with him, she did not want to be an obstruction for his future. (Later she says she regretted this for the rest of her life)
Baekseok
Baekseok left for Manju without her and they never saw each other again.
He spent some years in Manju and went home in North Korea. After that the Korean war broke out. His life in North Korea is not much known, especially after he was purged by the authority in 1960s. Only thing we know after that is he died in 1995.
Although he once was a celebrated good looking genius poet, his talents meant nothing in North Korea.
Younghan loved him for all her life and never married.
She also published an autobiographical book about him and her.
She said there was not a single day she did not miss him, and that she often dreamt about him.
A journalist asked how it was possible to donate such worth of money.
Younghan said “A hundred million dollars is not even worth one words of Baekseok’s poem.”.
Yes, that’s how much she believed in him and loved him.
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Younghan died in 1999.
A day before she died she came to this temple. she took a bath and prayed. She asked people “When I am gone please scatter my ash in the front yard of the temple when it is covered with snow” and so did they.
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This is the commemoration monument for Younghan.
The name Gilsangsa comes from Gilsanghwa, the buddhist name of younghan.
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