is a head temple of the
Jogye Order of
Korean Buddhism . It is located on the eastern slope of
Taehwasan , in
Sangok-myeon ,
Gongju , in the province of
Chungcheongnam-do ,
South Korea .
The temple is said to have been established in
640 by the monk
Jajang , although this account is disputed by some since Gongju would have lain within
Baekje territory at that time. It was used as a place of refuge during the early
Joseon Dynasty , and was left largely untouched by the
Seven Year War of the 1590s. It continued to play this role in the 20th century, when it was used as a hideout by Korean independence leader
Kim Ku .
