Korean Buddhist Temples - Layout

Layout

A typical Korean temple consists of the following elements:

1. Ilchu-mun (일주문, 一柱門) - ornamented temple gate
2. Sacheonwang-mun (사천왕문, 四天王門) - Gate of the Four Heavenly Kings, to mark the entrance of the temple's boundaries
3. Beopdang (법당, 法堂) - Dharma hall, used for lectures and sermons
4. Monastic quarters
5. Chonggak (종고, 鐘鼓) - bell tower
6. Daeungjeon (대웅전, 大雄殿) - main shrine hall housing the temple's main Buddha images
7. Pagoda
8. Myeongbu-jeon (명？전, 明?殿) - judgment hall, housing an image of the bodhisattva Ksitigarbha (지장) and depictions of the Buddhist hell
9. Nahan-jeon (라한전, 羅漢殿) - Hall of the Arhats
10. Sansin-gak (산신각,山神閣) - an Shamanist shrine dedicated to the mountain god Sanshin (산신), who can be depicted as both a male or a female. Sometimes called chilseong-gak (七星閣) or samseong-gak (三星閣), this shrine is usually found behind the main shrine hall.
11. Hermitage