Samgwangsa Temple sits at the foot of Baekyang Mountain in Busan, South Korea. It’s one of the Busan’s most famous temples, alongside Beomeosa Temple and Haedong Yonggungsa Temple. The temple has the largest congregation among Korean temples.
Samgwangsa Temple is massive and beautiful even though the grand size and dazzling exterior have drawn some criticism. Samgwangsa Temple’s annual Lantern Festival is one of CNN’s 50 beautiful places to visit in South Korea.
On This Post
- General Information
- Samgwangsa Temple Lantern Festival
- Layout of Samgwangsa Temple
- Temple Stay
- How to Get to Samgwangsa Temple (Bus Route Details)
- History
- The Photo Spot
- Samgwangsa Temple in Korean Movies
Information about Samgwangsa Temple
Address and Map of Samgwangsa Temple
77, Choeupcheon-ro 43beon-gil, Busanjin-gu, Busan, South Korea
How to Get to Samgwangsa Temple
Ride Subway Line 1 (Orange Line). Get off at Seomyeon Station (Line 1) and transfer to a local bus (green bus) No. 15 at the Yeonggwang Bookstore station located opposite the Yeonggwang Bookstore. Get off at the Samgwangsa bus stop.
Samgwangsa Temple Opening Hours
24/7
Entrance Fee
Free
Contact
- Call: +82-51-808-7111 (to 7115)
- Website (Korean only)
Samgwangsa Temple Lantern Festival
Every year, Samgwangsa Temple lights up with 40,000 lotus lanterns, starting 20 days before Buddha’s birthday. For your information, Buddha’s birthday normally falls in May. This is the largest lotus lantern festival in South Korea. CNN has featured Samgwangsa’s annual Lantern Festival in its list of 50 beautiful places to visit in South Korea.
This festival has gained global attention, attracting around one million visitors annually. Walking under the lantern tunnels and witnessing the field of glowing lanterns above is a truly magical experience. Samgwangsa Temple Lantern Festival is “삼광사연등축제 /sam-gwang-sa-yeon-deung-chuk-je/” in Korean.
Pictures of Samgwangsa Temple Lantern Festival
Layout of Samgwangsa Temple
Map of Samgwangsa Temple
Entrance
Daeungbojeon
Daeungbojeon (대웅보전) serves as the primary worship hall at the temple, the same as Daeungjeon at other temples. Adorning the upper wall is the Palsangdo Painting, depicting the life of Buddha. Below, Shimudo illustrates the pursuit of one’s true nature, metaphorically akin to searching for a cow.
The Daebo Pagoda
The official name of the Daebo Pagoda is Osipsamjonbul Palmyeongucheung Daebotap (오십삼존불팔면구층대보탑). Yes, the name is quite a mouthful. The pagoda enshrines 10 relics called sari from Buddha. It stands at a height of 30 meters (almost 100 feet).
Stone Seated Buddha
The Stone Seated Buddha (석조여래좌상, Seokjoyeoraejwasang) is Busan’s Tangible Cultural Heritage No. 145.
Jigwanjeon
When you see the temple from the entrance, Jigwanjeon (지관전) stands on your left side. This is the largest Buddhist cultural hall in South Korea, with a capacity of 10,000 people.
Beophwasammaedang
On your right side from the entrance, you will see Beophwasammaedang (법화삼매당), a 5-story building shaped like the Korean consonant ‘ㄷ’. This building houses administrative offices, event rooms, and more.
Daejosajeon
Daejosajeon (대조사전) is the newest building at Samgwangsa Temple, opened in 2023. The building serves for pilgrimage, practice, and meditation.
Geuknakjeon and Jijangjeon
In the picture, the front building is Jijangjeon (지장전), and the one behind it is Geuknakjeon (극락전). Geuknakjeon is a hall where ancestral tablets are enshrined. The basement floors 1 and 2 house the Temple Stay Practice Hall. The Jijangjeon houses a Jijang Okbul, which is 2.4 meters (7.8 feet) tall and weighs 6 tons (12,000 pounds), entirely made of jade.
Temple Stay at Samgwangsa Temple
Samgwangsa Temple offers temple stay programs. Participants can experience traditional temple culture and monastic life such as morning rituals, Buddhist meals, and meditation. Also learning about the temple’s halls and the origins of Buddhism is a part of the programs. Visitors can choose either one-day or two-day programs.
Contact
- Call: +82-51-808-2126
- Visit the site (Korean)
How to Get to Samgwangsa Temple (Bus Route Details)
To get to Samgwangsa Temple, you can ride a subway (explained in the general information section above) or use a bus. If you ride a bus (No. 44, 54, 63, 81, or 133), here is the detailed route with pictures.
Get off at Samgwangsa Ipgu stop.
Make a right turn at the first intersection and continue walking.
When you reach the next intersection, make a left turn.
Catch the Maeul Bus (Local Bus) Busanjin 15 at the bus stop on the side of the school.
Get off at Samgwansa Temple.
No worries about where to get off. Chances are everybody will get off at this stop.
History of Samgwangsa Temple
Compared to other historical Korean temples, this is a relatively new temple. It was completed and named “Samgwangsa” in 1986 at the current location. By the way, Samgwangsa is a part of the Cheontaejong Order (천태종), which is a Korean sect of Tiantai Buddhism.
Tiantai Buddhism is an order of Buddhism that originated in China during the 6th century. It was founded by the Chinese monk Zhiyi and is named after Mount Tiantai in Zhejiang province, where Zhiyi established his main monastery. Tiantai Buddhism emphasizes the Lotus Sutra as its primary scripture and incorporates a wide range of teachings from various Buddhist sutras and philosophies. Tiantai Buddhism has had a significant influence on other Buddhist schools in China, Japan, Korea, and beyond.
During the 11th century in the Goryeo Dynasty, Daegakguksa Uicheon traveled to the Song Dynasty to study, where he met and learned from the masters of Tiantai Buddhism. Upon returning to Goryeo, he founded the Haedong Tiantai School in 1097 when he became the head monk of Guksa Temple. However, during the Joseon Dynasty under King Sejong’s rule, it was merged into the Seon sect as part of the government’s policy to consolidate Buddhist sects, and it faded away.
Compared to the Jogye Order, which dominates the Korean Buddhist landscape, the Tiantai tradition focuses more on practical Buddhism, emphasizing compassion in daily life rather than ritualistic practices. It also places a strong emphasis on the labors of monks such as farming.
Unlike the modest and restrained architectural style preferred by the Jogye Order, many Tiantai temples in South Korea boast grandiose and ornate hanok structures.
The Photo Spot
The picture above is likely the most popular and famous one of Samgwangsa Temple. Where can you take this picture? Head to Jigwanjeon (see the map in the layout section above) and go to the second floor. You will find a huge hall; proceed to the upper section facing the main plaza. When it gets close to Buddha’s Birthday, the window spots can be crowded.
Samgwangsa Temple in Korean Movies
In the movie “New World,” the funeral scene of Boss Seok Dong-cheol was filmed at Samgwangsa Temple.
Buongiorno, è possibile avere il programma di quest’ anno del festival delle lanterne per il compleanno di Budda?
Sarò a Busan in quel periodo
Grazie e buona giornata
Hello, thank you for reaching out to me. **Buddha’s Birthday in 2025 is on May 5th**. The specific schedule for this year’s **Lantern Festival** has not been set yet, but it usually begins about **2–3 weeks in advance**. Hope this helps, and welcome to Korea!