Temple History Choamsa Temple is located in the southeastern portion of Sobaeksan National Park in northwestern Yeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do. Choamsa Temple, which means “Thatched Hut Temple” in English, is thought to have been founded by the famed monk Uisang-daesa (625-702 A.D.). There are two legends regarding the founding of the temple by Uisang-daesa. In the first legend, it states that in 676 A.D., while Uisang-daesa was travelling around the peninsula to select a site to build the future Buseoksa Temple, he stayed and practiced in a temporary thatched hut to the southeast of Mt. Sobaeksan (1,439 m). In the second legend, Uisang-daesa had already begun the construction of Buseoksa Temple, when the roof beams to the temple mysteriously disappeared. Using his “spiritual insight,” he discovered that the beams had fallen at the future site of Choamsa Temple. Believing this to be the will of the Buddha, Seokgamoni-bul, Uisang-daesa decided to build a small thatched hut (choam) here southeast of Mt. Sobaeksan. He would live and practice at this thatched hut before continuing with the construction of Buseoksa Temple. After the construction of Choamsa Temple was completed, there are a historical records detailing the history of the temple. They include the Sinjeung Dongguk Yeoji Seungnam from the 16th century, the Yeji Doseo from the 18th century, and the Yeongnam Eupji and the Gyonaemji from the late 19th century. Which is all to say that the temple remained as a functioning temple throughout the mid-to-late Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). One source from 1728, the Sunheungji (順興誌) indicates that Choamsa Temple was once quite a large temple. Eventually, the temple would fall into semi-disrepair, as an elderly layman was living in a thatched hut, farming potatoes, at Choamsa Temple. Around 1935, the monk Sang-ho rebuilt the temple. However, during the Korean War (1950-1953), the temple would be completely destroyed by fire. Kim Sang-ho would move to neighbouring Heukseoksa T