Intangible Culture ISSN:2799-3868(Print) 무형문화연구

Yongjusa Temple is the only temple founded by the state during the late Joseon Dynasty. King Jeongjo’s founding of Yongjusa was a highly unusual and remarkable event. For four hundred years since the founding of the Joseon Dynasty, the state had never once officially founded a temple. Since the 1912 ‘Yongjusa Temple and Its Branch Temples Regulation’ referred to the temple’s predecessor as Galyangsa Temple, it has been widely accepted without any separate verification. Furthermore, the explanation spread that the current Yongjusa Temple Suryukjae ritual succeeded the Galyangsa Temple Suryukjae, which was the first Suryukjae held in Korean history. However, the name Galyangsa Temple does not appear anywhere in the various historical records, documents, or geographical records that document the process of the temple’s founding. This occurred during the process of establishing a new history of the temple after it was designated as the main temple in the 1910s. However, the identity of the temple can be properly established only when history is explained accurately and factually. The emergence of Yongjusa Temple in the late Joseon Dynasty brought about a new turning point in Joseon Buddhism. The temple was completed by mobilizing all state agencies and inviting the finest craftsmen, technicians, and eminent monks. It was an act of proclaiming the revival of Buddhism to the entire nation in a country of Confucianism. Furthermore, the various monks who contributed to the founding were appointed to high government positions and were appointed as leaders of major temples in various regions, which served as an opportunity to elevate the status of Buddhism. The abbot of Yongjusa Temple was also granted a royal decree bearing the king’s seal as a letter of appointment. The Suryukjae performed at the founding anniversary ceremony also holds significant meaning. During the Joseon Dynasty, the Suryukjae was excluded from official state rituals after the mid-16th century. Later, it reappeared at Yongjusa Temple in 1790, inheriting the lineage of the Joseon Dynasty’s Suryukjae and bringing about a new impetus for development. I believe that these historical facts alone are sufficient to significantly enhance the status of Yongjusa Temple. In this context, we will closely examine the founding process of Yongjusa Temple, and aimed to comprehensively understand the significance and status of temples in the history of Buddhism during the late Joseon Dynasty.