Tongdo-sa

Gyeongsangnam-do


Tongdo-sa is noted for a sari, a crystalline substance thought to develop inside the body of a pure monk. The sari is enshrined in a fenced area and cannot be seen. It is a focal point of devotion, which is why Tongdo-sa does not have a Buddha statue in the main hall, a rarity in Korea. Tongdo-sa operates an English-language templestay program.

Inside the temple compound, stop by the Tongdo-sa Museum to view a collection of Buddhist paintings along with 30,000 artefacts.

Buses to Tongdo-sa depart Busan's Central Bus Terminal (₩2200, 25 minutes, every 20 minutes) and stop at Sinpyeong bus terminal. Exit the terminal through the back lot, turn right and walk 10 minutes to the gate.

Transportation

  • bus: Line 1 to Nopo, Exit 3

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Gyeongsangnam-do attractions

1. Tongdo-sa Museum

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This museum inside the Tongdo-sa compound houses a collection of Buddhist paintings with limited viewing hours (9am to 11.30am and 1pm to 5pm) to minimise…

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5. Geumjeong Fortress

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6. West Gate

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An attractive gate on Geumjeong-san, but less visited because it's off the ridge trail.

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
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      "url": "south-korea/gajisan-provincial-park/attractions/tongdo-sa/a/poi-sig/1428215/1326720",
      "destination": "Gyeongsangnam-do",
      "continent": "Asia",
      "country": "South-Korea",
      "region": "Gyeongsangnam-do",
      "position": "superzone"
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