Korea Templestay Guide: A Day in the Life of Monks at Baekyangsa Temple

At dawn on May 3 at Baekyangsa Temple in Jangseong-gun County, Jeollanam-do Province, umbrellas neatly placed next to the wall of Daewoongjeon Hall began to unfold. Fifteen foreign reporters were at the temple that day amid a drizzle that began before the early morning service. The group had traveled 300 km from Seoul the night before, and colorful lanterns hung throughout the yard and along the eaves of the main hall to commemorate Buddha's 2,569th birthday.

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Templestay: Mind-Clearing Experience

Visitors can stay overnight at a temple through the program, a joint project launched in 2002 by the government and the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism ahead of the FIFA World Cup cohosted with Japan that year. The purpose was to overcome an accommodation shortage and promote traditional Korean culture to the world.

The program has proven immensely popular — six million people took part over the next 20 years, 11% of them foreign nationals.

Baekyangsa Temple: A Serene Sanctuary

Located on Naejangsan Mountain, renowned for its red leaves in fall, Baekyangsa Temple was established in the seventh century under the Baekje Kingdom (18 B.C.-A.D. 660), when Buddhism spread throughout the Korean Peninsula.

Baekyangsa is a good choice for an overnight stay. The refreshing sound of the stream is clearly audible upon entering, a gargantuan rock wall surrounds the compound like a folding screen, and urban noise is not heard.

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Traditional Korean geomantics say a mountain system is connected just like that of a river. Based on this premise, Baekyangsa sits in the southernmost part of the Baekdudaegan mountain range, connecting Baekdusan Mountain in the north and Jirisan Mountain in the south, creating a sense of peninsular unity. Chief monk Ven. Mugong explained, "Baekyangsa Temple is the final gathering place of all energy throughout the country. Thanks to this energy, Jangseong-gun County since ancient times has also produced many outstanding figures and scholars."

Early Morning Service and Meditation: A Monk's Routine at Dawn

A monk's day begins with an early morning service. They sit in front of a golden Buddha statue at 4:20 a.m., and the ritual runs to the sound of a moktak, a hollow wooden percussion instrument used in Buddhist rituals. After doing Buddhist prostrations, the monks again kneel and place their foreheads on the floor, putting their hands next to their heads as if doing gymnastics.

The reporters followed each movement. After the rituals came Seon (Buddhist) meditation — amid deep silence and empty minds, the monks and reporters looked as if they were in another place with calm expressions.

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The morning meal ritual was at 6 a.m., with no milk, bread or cereal on the table. Rice, seaweed soup and side dishes of seasoned vegetables were neatly served instead. One ironclad rule is to finish one's plate — each person must wash their plates with clean water after eating everything served. The act of eating is part of Buddhist practice.

Buddhist Table Etiquette Explained by a Celebrity Monk

At 10 a.m., the reporters met Ven. Jeonggwan, famous for showing temple food on the 2017 Netflix documentary "Chef's Table." Chefs from around the world have since visited Baekyangsa to learn the value and secrets behind his culinary creations.

A cooking class at Cheonjinam Hall featured representative fermented foods such as kimchi, soy sauce, doenjang (soybean paste), gochujang (chili paste), vinegar, bamboo shoots, cucumbers, mushrooms, sancho (prickly ash) and black raspberries. All ingredients from the temple were not spicy, had no pesticides, and contained no strong-smelling garlic, onions or scallions.

While cutting a sweet pumpkin with a spoon, the monk said, "You have to first know the ingredients if you want to cook. First think about where and how they came from, the amount to prepare and whether to steam or boil it, and then decide what type of food to make."

Lunch and Departure: Food Is Life

After a while, everyone sat at the table for lunch. Each bite was deep and transparent, and each vegetable and herb had a unique flavor discernible even with one's eyes closed. The chili's spicy taste and the broth's mild taste created a doenjang jjigae more delicious than previously experienced.

Before leaving the temple, the reporters drank green tea with the monks. "If you don't eat well, you can't live a long and healthy life and will get sick. It's like life and companionship. You can live without a spouse or children but not without food."

Getting There

Driving is the best way to reach Baekyangsa Temple. After exiting the Honam Expressway at the Naejangsan or Baekyangsa interchange, drive along National Route 1 toward Jangseongho Lake for 15-20 minutes. By train, get off at Baekyangsa Station on the Honam Line of the Mugunghwa-ho Train or Jangseong Station of the high-speed KTX, then take a bus at Jangseong Public Bus Terminal — though a taxi ride (fare KRW 20,000-KRW 30,000) is advised.