Daebeopsa Temple (Yeoju)

Daebeopsa Temple is a temple located at the foot of Daeposan Mountain, where the birth story of Empress Myeongseong is told. It is a branch temple of Yongjusa Temple, the head temple of the second diocese of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, and is registered as a traditional temple of Gyeonggi Province. The tranquil temple grounds are adorned with flowering trees and a lotus pond, offering beautiful scenery. Daebeopsa Temple was founded in 1971 and does not have a long history. However, it is said that a temple originally existed here from the time of Queen Jinseong of the Unified Silla period during the North-South States Period, although the exact founding date is unclear. At the time of its founding, a 0.9m standing Maitreya statue was created, and it was called Mireukdang. During the Joseon Dynasty, it became famous due to the connection between Empress Myeongseong and her father, Min Chi-rok. This began when a tomb for Min Jin-hu, the older brother of Queen Inhyeon, was built near the temple during the reign of King Sukjong. Min Chi-rok, the father of Empress Myeongseong, who lived while managing this tomb, dreamed of Maitreya Buddha, dug the ground, discovered the Maitreya statue, built a new hall to enshrine the statue, and his wife, Lady Hansan Yi, prayed earnestly, resulting in the birth of Empress Myeongseong. Later, when Empress Myeongseong was appointed as the consort of King Gojong, a Daeungjeon Hall was built on the site of the Maitreya statue, the temple was renamed Wondangsa, and it flourished with the support of the Min family. However, over time, Wondangsa disappeared and was almost abandoned, leaving only traces, until it was reborn as today's Daebeopsa Temple. The monk Daewon, who newly founded the temple, also named it after seeing a book called Daebeopsa in a dream. The temple grounds include an Iljumun Gate, Daeungjeon Hall, Jijangjeon Hall, Beomjonggak Pavilion, Guksadang Hall, and Samseonggak Shrine. The Daeungjeon Hall, built in 1971 and renovated in 1989, is a 5-bay front, 3-bay side building with a multi-bracket hip-and-gable roof, enshrining Sakyamuni Buddha, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva. In front of Daeungjeon Hall, there is a stone lantern, a three-story stone pagoda, and a seated statue of Bhaisajyaguru Buddha. Climbing the hill behind, there is a 9m tall Maitreya stone statue and a seven-story stone pagoda. In a small stone chamber next to Daeungjeon Hall, the Maitreya Buddha associated with Empress Myeongseong is enshrined; its worn appearance, having listened to countless wishes over the long years, hints at the passage of time. At the entrance of the temple, in Guksadang Hall, two hanging paintings are displayed: on the left is a mountain spirit, and on the right, instead of the usual tiger, there is a painting of a scholar on horseback, identified as Min Chi-rok.