Waujeongsa (sometimes known as Wawoojeong Temple) sits in the middle of the Yeonhwasan Mountain Range – on the slopes of Mount Eunesan – about an hour drive from our home in Pyeongtaek. It was built in 1970 by Monk Kim Hae-geum. After being displaced from his home in the North during the Korean War, Monk Kim Hae-geum had the temple built as a tribute to, not only his own displacement, but also to the reunification of the Korean Peninsula (and if you remember my post about our trip to the DMZ, you’ll know that reunification is something that South Korea as a whole wants). In addition to promoting the reunification of the peninsula, Waujeongsa seeks to promote unification of the world. Nicknamed the “Pagoda of Reunification,” it is home to over 3,000 Buddha statues – many of which were made in and using materials from other nations around the world. In addition, the many pagodas on the grounds were constructed using stones brought from various holy sites from all over the globe.

The most famous Buddha at Waujeongsa is definitely the one that made me want to visit this temple in the first place: the “Buldu” – an 8-meter tall golden Buddha head that stands above a man-made pond. This wooden structure (which doesn’t look wooden because of its golden covering) is the largest of its kind in the world (although I do wonder how many lone Buddha heads there are in existence). But of course, one world record just isn’t enough. And Waujeongsa is also home to the LARGEST reclining Buddha in the world as well. The “Wabul” is 3 meters tall and 12 meters in length and it used to sit within a small cave above the main palace at Waujeongsa – just passed the statues of the two Vajra Warriors. Unfortunately during our visit, that area was under construction and so we were unable to see the great reclining Buddha.

Still, we enjoyed our time at Waujeongsa. The paths around the grounds were steep, but well-paved, and it seemed that every time we turned another corner, there was something else incredible to see.  Whether it was another large Buddha (they had Buddha statues from India, Nepal, and Indonesia – among other nations), the 500 tiny Buddhas that surround a stone clearing, or the Palsang-do collection (the eight scenes of Buddha’s life) – there was so much to see and to be enjoyed. It was also just a beautiful area – can you imagine how amazing it’s going to be in the spring!?

Our kids also loved seeing the statues of the twelve zodiac generals and thought it was hilarious the money, jewelry, and gifts that people offered to them. M even tried to steal some money off of the pig statue – but of course we had her put it back.