According to a Korean legend which first was written by a Buddhist monk Iryeon in his famous book «Samguk Yusa» which is known as «Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms» in the West, one of the monks of the Silla Kingdom gave the Patriarch Simji several bones with ancient Indian sutras engraved on them. The patriarch did not have an idea where to store them, so he went up on a mountain peak and threw them down. The wind caught the bones and hid them in one of the wells on the territory of the modern city of Daegu. That was the place where the famous Buddhist Donghwasa Temple was later established. It happened in 493 during the reign of King Soji. The monk who built the shrine was Geukdal. The temple got the name Yugasa. Only 4 centuries after, in 892, the world-known Buddhist adobe got its current name – Donghwasa which means «Temple of Paulownia Blossoms». The name was given in honor of the ever-blooming Korean plant with bright fragrant flowers.

In 863, a traditional three-tiered pagoda and a stone statue of Buddha were built on the territory of the temple by the order of King Gyeongmun. The fact that the statue could be visited throughout the year made this place a popular center of Buddhist pilgrimage and spiritual practices. The temple is considered to be one of the main saint places of East Asia and one of the most popular attractions of South Korea. Moreover, according to the opinion of some esotericists, the place of the temple complex has a strong energy which is aimed at spiritual enlightenment, improvement of physical health and fulfillment of the heart’s desires.

Over the years, the temple was destroyed many times. The biggest damage was made during the Japanese invasion at the end of the 16th century. However, at the beginning of the 17th century, the temple was fully restored by monks. New constructions, including the Main Hall, were built on its territory.
Today, the functioning Donghwasa Temple is open for everyone and offers various cultural programs that can help its visitors to learn about the fascinating world of Buddhism and the history of the temple.