Interesting Gloden frog story of Jajang-am in Tongdo Temple

Jajang -am is the place where the founder of Tongda-sa we would call Tongdo Temple in english, Master Jajang, studied and practiced before the foundation of Tongdo-sa (646 C.E.) It was originally called Jajang -bang. It is one of the seven hermitages in the precinct of Tongda-sa and the disciples of Master Jajang studied at Janjang-am at all times.

it is not known whether reconstruction took place before Hoebong -daesa reconstructed Jajang - am since its establishment. Between 1987 and 1993, three buildings - Gamwonsil,Guemwadang, and Chwihyunru-were reconstructed Ly Hyunmun-hwasang and remain to this day.

The Buddaha Hall faces west and is backed by rock walls.

Next to it a meter-high Ma-ae buddhist statue engraved into the rock. This statue was constructed in 1896.

Also, water comes out from a cr vice in the rock wall at the back of the Buddha hall. This rock wall wall is famous for a small hole, called Guemwagong, that Master Jajang made with his finger to let a frog live there.

in the book Joseon Bulgyo Tongsa ( History of korean Buddhism) by Lee Neong-hwa mentions, " there is finger-sized hole in the large rock wall which stands near Jajang-am of Tong-sa in Mt.Chukseo.

in that hole, there lives a small frog with a blue body and golden lips.

sometimes it turns into a butterfly and sometomes into a bee, therefore its transformation is inscrutable.

In summer, it hopes over rocks that are scorching hot like iron pots over the fire. A monk named it the "golden frog." surprisingly , this golden frog never goes out of the Temple. One day , an officer did not believe it so he put the frog in a box and locked it tight.

Then, he took the box out of the temple. However, on his out, the officer found out that the golden frog in the box had disappeared. It is said that Master Jajang raised the golden frog with supernatural powers."

Even untill now, the golden frog shows itself only to people who have

strong belief. People call this golden frog " Guemwabosal."

 Travel   infomation

  *Adress : 583 jisan-ri , habuk-myeon , yangsan -city , kyeong nam provice ,

                  south korea

  * Telelphone : 88+ 55+382-7128 / 88+55+381-1442

Traffice guide

* from seoul to Tongdo sa station ( ktx) arrival  no.13 bus ( 30 miniture) 

            taxi ( 20 miniture , about 15,000 won )

* from busan to Tongda temple

     busan DONG BU bus terminal to Tongdasa Temple

       by bus 20-30 miniture ( time 06:30-20:20 )