Sudeoksa | Attraction Guide | K-Travel Mate

Sudeoksa is a temple located on the southern foothills of Deoksungsan (495m) in the Charyeong Mountains near Deoksan Hot Springs. It is one of the largest temples of the Jogye Order in the Naepo region of Chungnam and serves as the main temple of the Jogye Order's 7th district. Founded in the 6th century during the Baekje era, it boasts nearly 1,500 years of history and is renowned as the top scenic spot in Yesan-gun. The founding legend tells of a young man who fell in love with a maiden whose marriage condition was the building of a temple. After completing the temple, when the man held the maiden’s hand, she disappeared, later revealed to be an incarnation of Gwanseumbosal (Avalokitesvara). Sudeoksa has undergone multiple renovations during the Goryeo, Joseon, and Japanese colonial periods. The temple houses cultural assets from the Baekje to Joseon eras, including the National Treasure Daeungjeon Hall, treasures like the Nosanabul Gwaebultang and the Myobeop Yeonhwagyong sutra, and numerous Chungcheongnam-do designated cultural properties such as the three-story pagoda and seven-story pagoda. The Geunyeok Seongbogwan preserves various Buddhist artifacts. The site also features the thatched house where painter Lee Ungno (1904-1989) worked, Lee Ungno Seonsaeksaji (Sudeok Inn), and Seon Art Museum showcasing works by Lee Ungno and modern artists alongside Buddhist art. The Temple Stay program offers diverse programs tailored to demand and preferences.