Cheongnyeonam | Attraction Guide | K-Travel Mate

Long ago, the founder of Goryeo, Taejo, established a temple while returning to Gaeseong after conquering Later Baekje. Seeing the radiant light emanating from the mountain, he believed it was surely a teaching given by Buddha. That mountain was named Gwanggyosan, and as the mountain's name became known throughout various places, its spiritual power grew, attracting many monks and virtuous men and women to the mountain. Eventually, hermitages were established throughout the mountain valleys, totaling 89 places of practice. Though this is merely a legend and no traces remain today, Gwanggyosan currently houses Cheongnyeonam, a temple that continues Buddha's true practice from the Joseon period to the present. Though now the center of Suwon city, at the foot of Gwanggyosan remains Cheongnyeonam, a modest nunnery temple that carries on Buddha's teachings. Once neglected and left with only an empty site, it was rebuilt by its founder, Monk Cheongnyeon, thus named Cheongnyeonam. Later, with support from the powerful noble Heungseon Daewongun of the late Joseon period and as a prayer site of the royal concubine Um, mother of Crown Prince Yeongchin Yi Eun, the current temple structure was established. Subsequently, with the help of concubine Hwaju and Bodhisattva Im, it continued its legacy as a Suwol practice site and has firmly established itself as a Nahan practice temple dedicated to personally practicing Buddha's teachings.