Busan Dongmyeong Bulwon | Attraction Guide | K-Travel Mate

Dongmyeong Bulwon (東明佛院), located on Yongbisan in Yongdang-dong, was established by the late Kang Seok-jin, chairman of Dongmyeong Mokjae, to pray for national prosperity, the rebirth of his parents in the Western Paradise, and the fortune of the Dongmyeong family working at the Dongmyeong industrial site. While most Korean temples follow traditional Korean styles, this temple is influenced by Southeast Asia, featuring a straight ridge (yongmaru), enshrining relics of the Buddha excavated from an ancient pagoda in Myanmar. The wooden gilt Buddha statue here is the largest in Korea, and the temple bell (beomjong) is also the largest in Korea, said to be heavier than the Emille Bell. The Dongmyeong temple bell has a dragon carved on the crown, an unprecedented technique. Inside the main hall (Daeungjeon), there are three statues: Shakyamuni Buddha at the center, Maitreya Bodhisattva to the right, and Jihwa Galabosall (possibly a variant name) to the left. The main hall uses a special pillar-less construction method; the central ceiling features a dragon head decoration, and both walls are carved with flying celestial beings (bicheonsang). The complex includes Nirvana Hall (Geungnakjeon), Arhat Hall (Nahanjeon), and Avalokitesvara Hall (Gwaneumjeon). Chilseonggak, Sansingak, and Doksungak are designed as two-story buildings, with Buddhist texts displayed on the second floor.