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Chogye Sa - The temple in the heart of Seoul

© Athan Rodostianos

Its 4 a.m. and the soothing melody of the distant bell permeates throughout the dark. In the resounding echo of the bell the Buddha's compassionate call can be heard reverberating through the ten quarters of the universe.

High up in the mountains, the gray garbed monks reverently awaken their bells with delicate strikes, a calling for the new day to begin.

This bell, however, is special for unlike its sisters, this bell’s message emanates from within the heart of a city of 11 million people. This is the bell of Chogye Sa, the headquarters of the Korean Buddhist Chogye Order.

Chogye Sa, located in Kyun-ji dong, a short stroll from Anguk, Kwanghamun or Jong-gak subway stations was first built at the end of the 14th century during the Yi dynasty. Between 1910 and 1945, during the Japanese occupation of Korea, the temple known then as Taego Sa, was the Headquarters of Korean Buddhism.

During this time the Japanese encouraged Buddhist monks to marry and it wasn’t 1954, after the end of the Korean War, that married monks were banished from residing in temples. It was at the conclusion of this ‘cleansing’ that the temple was given its current name.

In the 50 years following the war the city of Seoul has given up its tradition and has become a concrete and steel giant, a humming beast that only rests during the darkest of hours. In this mayhem Chogye Sa, often cast in shadows by the hunger of its giant neighbors has become more than a spiritual retreat. It is a place of refuge, welcoming all who choose to visit whether they are there to pray or simply retreat from the world outside.

Because of this location it does not offer the complete serenity of other Buddhist temples, but of course, everything is relative to its surroundings. Additionally, the position of Chogye Sa makes it very accessible to tourists and expatriates, and it is one of the few temples in Korea that caters for foreign visitors.

The Foreigner Information Center located inside the temple grounds has pamphlets and guides to assist visitors with any questions. It also has two Tea Houses, where choice teas and contemplation are the order of the day, and stores that trade in Buddhist wares.

Finally, Chogye Sa is host to one of the most spectacular sights in Korea. On Buddha’s Birthday (April 8th of the lunar year) the entire temple site is decorated with thousands of lotus lanterns, which radiate an unforgettable ocean of light as dusk turns into night. On this day it is also the beginning and end of Seoul’s largest, and most spectacular, lantern parade.