Tongdosa

Sansa, Buddhist Mountain Monasteries in Korea
UNESCO World Heritage Site
LocationYangsan, Republic of Korea
CriteriaCultural: iii
Reference1562-1
Inscription2018 (42nd Session)
Coordinates35°29′16″N 129°3′52″E / 35.48778°N 129.06444°E / 35.48778; 129.06444
Tongdosa is located in South Korea
Tongdosa
Location of Tongdosa in South Korea
Tongdosa
Hangul
통도사
Hanja
Revised RomanizationTongdosa
McCune–ReischauerT'ongdosa
Tongdosa ceiling

Tongdosa (Korean통도사; lit. Salvation of the World through Mastery of Truth)[1] is a head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism and in the southern part of Mt. Chiseosan[2] near Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea.

Tongdosa is one of the Three Jewels Temples and represents Gautama Buddha. (Haeinsa, also in South Gyeongsang Province, represents the dharma or Buddhist teachings; and Songgwangsa in South Jeolla Province represents the sangha or Buddhist community.)

Tongdosa is famous because there are no statues outside[3] of the Buddha at the temple because the "real shrines of the Buddha" (relics) are preserved at Tongdosa.[2] Courtyards at the temple are arrayed around several pagodas that house the Buddha's relics.[3]

  1. ^ Le Bas, Tom :"South Korea" pg 244, Insight Guides, 8th edition 2007
  2. ^ a b "Tongdosa Temple (Yangsan) (통도사(양산)) - Official Korea Tourism Organization". english.visitkorea.or.kr.
  3. ^ a b "Asian Historical Architecture: A Photographic Survey". www.orientalarchitecture.com.