▲ Boseong Temple / Buddhist Priest Daewon Yoon

Jiri Mountain is the No.1 National Park of South Korea and is one of the five most famous mountains. It is second highest (1,915 meters) after Halla Mountain (1,947 meters). It has 10 high peaks and around 80 lower peaks watching Namwon City, Jinju City, Gokseong County, Gurye County and Hamyang County. The Nakdong River and the Seomjin River are meandering in north and south. Around 800 species of plants and 400 kinds of animals are making the mountain their home and Haweom Temple, Cheoneun Temple, Yeongog Temple, Ssanggye Temple and Boseong Temple are nicely nestled. 

Boseong Temple is located at the edge of the west of the highest Cheonwang Peak. Geomancy scholars interpret the location as a great spot. Boseong Temple belongs to the Korean Taego Order which passed down the spirit of Zen master Taego Bou. The Taego Order focuses on enlightening people and runs press and educational and welfare organizations. Boseong Temple has Intangible Asset No.50 (Yeongsanjae) and No.48 (Dancheong). 

On 25th August, the chief monk Wonsan held a ritual for mountain spirit and renowned monks nationwide gathered together on the day praying for prosperity of the nation and happiness of the people. 

The Buddhist priest Daewon Yoon of Boseomg Temple said “The temple is located in a spiritual place and the Maitreya-bodhisattva rock sends its energy directly to the temple.”

Yoon was spiritually lined to Buddhism since he was 2 years old. Born in Sangju City North Gyeongsang Province, his parents were warned that he would live shortly. Hearing this, his grandmother sought an advice from a Buddhist nun from Boseong Temple whom she linked her two year old grandson to her spiritually. 

“After graduating Chung-Ang University, I carried on my spiritual training at the temple. I once ran a business but failed and joined Dharma-Bhanaka Buddhist (university) and finished a Buddhist priest course and a great Buddhist priest course. But I’m still carrying on the study.”

Yoon also obtained a certificate to serve as a Buddhist Leader of the World Buddhist Sangha Association, studied Four Pillars of Destiny, and wrote two of related books. Four Pillars of Destiny predicts one’s future based on time, day, month and year of the birth. 

The Korea Taego Order Buddhist Nun Society held a memorial ceremony at Seodaemun Independence Park and they prayed for those who died at the then Seodaemun Prison during the Japanese rule. Attended the memorial on the day was Seoul Mayor Wonsoon Park and Seodaemun District Office mayor Sukjin Moon. The ceremony included memorial performance of Korean opera and songs. 

Park shows his gratitude and respect to those who organized the event in his speech and Moon denounced the Japan’s recent economic retaliation without self-reflection on what it has done.