Seocheonsa Temple (Pyeongtaek)

Seocheonsa Temple is a Korean Buddhist Haedong Order temple located on Jangan Mountain in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. It is well known as a patriotic temple, which refers to a temple built or serving to pray for the nation's peace and development through the merits of the Buddha.

Seocheonsa Temple is said to have been the site where the great monk Samyeongdaesa led a monk army during the Japanese invasions of Korea (Imjin War). Additionally, in the Mireukjeon Hall of Seocheonsa Temple, a white stone seated Buddha statue (Mireukbul), which protected the monk army, has been guarding the land in its original form for over 500 years. It is said that the temple was founded by the monk Naong Hwasang in 1352 (the first year of King Gongmin of Goryeo), burned down during the Injo Restoration of 1623, and then rebuilt in 1870 after the monk Dongpabigu discovered the Mireukbul statue. Later, a reconstruction took place in 1929, but it was destroyed by fire in 1953, and the main hall was rebuilt in 1954, leading to its present state.