The Phyohun Temple is located in Naegumgang-ri, Kumgang County, Kangwon Province. It is known as one of the four renowned temples in Mt. Kumgang along with Jangan, Singye and Yujom temples. Built in 670, it was first called Sinrim Temple, but was renamed Phyohun Temple three years later.
Originally, there were over 20 buildings in the temple, but now there are only Panyabo, Ryongsan and Myongbu halls and Rungpha, Osil and Chilsong pavilions. All of them stand along the axis that passes the Panyabo Hall and the Rungpha Pavilion.
The main building in the temple is the Panyabo Hall which is a representative structure with gorgeous architectural decorations and exquisite sculptural arts. Erected on an elevated stone foundation, this building is 14.09m long and 9.4m wide. Topped with a gable roof, it has double eaves. The decorations of the ancon and the cow’s-tongue layer on the column with the fullbloom lotus flowers and their buds resemble natural flowers. The slightly gentle curving of the ridge, concave, hip and surface of the double -eaves gabled roof adds smartness to the hall. The building is painted in golden colour.
The Rungpha Pavilion is a two-storey building which is three bays in length and width. Painted in golden colour, it is a double-eaves gabled-roof house with brackets on tapering pillars. The Ryongsan and Myongbu halls to the left and right of the Panyabo Hall, and the Osil Pavilion, painted gorgeously in golden colour, are also gabled-roof houses with double eaves which are all three bays long and two bays wide.
Most of the gabled houses in the Phyohun Temple are evenly distributed along the axis that extends from north to south, showing different features of all buildings and distinctive features of individual buildings.
The temple stands in its original state and is kept well thanks to the state policy on conservation of cultural heritage of the nation.
Article by Kang Wi Song
