Hapcheon is a quiet mountain county in western Gyeongsangnam-do, known almost entirely for one thing: the temple complex holding Korea's most complete set of Buddhist scripture woodblocks.
History
Haeinsa was founded in 802, according to temple legend by two monks who had studied in Tang China and healed the wife of King Aejang of Silla; the grateful king sponsored the temple's construction on the slopes of Gayasan. It grew into one of Korea's three "Jewel Temples," representing the Dharma, or Buddhist teachings, alongside Tongdosa and Songgwangsa.
Haeinsa's fame rests on the Tripitaka Koreana, the complete Buddhist canon carved onto wooden printing blocks. An earlier set, carved between 1011 and 1087, was destroyed by fire during the Mongol invasions of 1232; King Gojong then ordered a new version carved as an appeal for divine protection, and monks and craftsmen completed 81,352 woodblocks between 1237 and 1249. The blocks were moved to Haeinsa in 1398 and have remained there since, housed in the Janggyeong Panjeon halls — designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995 for their moisture- and temperature-regulating design, with the woodblocks themselves added to UNESCO's Memory of the World Register in 2007.
Highlights
- Haeinsa Temple and the Janggyeong Panjeon, the UNESCO-listed depository halls housing the Tripitaka Koreana woodblocks.
- Gayasan National Park, the mountains surrounding the temple, with hiking best from April to May or September to October.
- Hapcheon Lake, an artificial reservoir created in 1988, popular for scenic drives with views of Hwangmae mountain.
- Hwangmaesan Mountain, known for its red azaleas in May and year-round climbing routes.
- Hapcheon Video (Cinema) Theme Park, a film set recreating Korean streetscapes from the 1920s through the 1980s, still used for period productions.
Food
Restaurants in the county serve Hapcheon beef (hanu) and hand-cut kalguksu noodles; near Haeinsa itself, simple temple-adjacent fare like sanchae bibimbap (wild mountain greens over rice) is common.
Annual events
- Hapcheon Cherry Blossom Marathon (March) — an annual race along the county's cherry-blossom-lined roads, drawing several thousand runners.
Getting there
Intercity buses run from Seoul's Nambu Bus Terminal, taking about 4 hours. It's often faster to take the KTX to Daegu and connect by bus from Daegu's West Bus Terminal, about an hour to Haeinsa.
How long
Haeinsa and the Tripitaka Koreana can be seen in a day trip, but an overnight stay lets you add a hike in Gayasan National Park or a temple stay.
More: UNESCO World Heritage listing for Haeinsa Temple Janggyeong Panjeon.