Life Sprouts from the Ashes... Gounsa Temple in Uiseong Reconnects Its Thousand-Year-Old Forest

After overcoming the pain of the wildfire, returns after a two-year hiatus
Goun Cultural Festival reflects on the meaning of recovery
100 trees planted; temple food
4,500 servings shared in hopes of renewing nature and culture

A fall cultural event wishing for the recovery of nature and the renewal of the local community has returned after a two-year hiatus at Gounsa Temple in Uiseong, a thousand-year-old temple that suffered extensive damage in a massive wildfire in North Gyeongsang Province last March.

Venerable Deungun, head of the 16th district of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism and abbot of Gounsa Temple in Uiseong, delivers welcoming remarks. [Photo by Kwon Byeonggeon]

According to Uiseong County and Gounsa Temple, the Fourth Goun Cultural Festival and Temple Food Festival is being held from October 17 to 18 across the temple grounds in Danchon-myeon, Uiseong County.

This year's event, themed "Back to the Forest of a Thousand Years," was organized to reflect on Gounsa's historical and cultural significance after the wildfire and to share the meaning of nature's recovery.

Gounsa suffered damage in the massive wildfire that broke out last March, which destroyed major temple buildings, including the Treasure-designated Gaunru Pavilion and Yeonsujeon Hall, and damaged surrounding forests. The festival was canceled last year and resumed this year, two years after its previous edition in 2024.

The festival's signature program is a tree-planting event to help restore the forest damaged by the wildfire.

A program to plant 100 trees, including Susa crabapples, was held ahead of the Goun Thousand-Year Forest Trail barefoot walking event on October 18. Guests of honor planted 10 trees, while visitors were invited to plant the remaining 90.

On October 17, the first day of the festival, events included a memorial rite honoring Choi Chi-won, a native of Goun, followed by an opening ceremony, a B-boy performance and a talk concert with Dr. Kim Hyeontak.

The Goun Music Concert also featured the Gyeongbuk Provincial Korean Traditional Music Orchestra and singers Choi Yerim, Park Seojin and Jung Sura, presenting traditional Korean music and popular music.

On October 18, the Goun Cultural Arts Festival will feature the Goun Thousand-Year Forest Trail barefoot walking event, a Buddhist choir and an ocarina performance. Participation in the barefoot walking event is free, with no advance registration required.

Uiseong County Governor Choi Yucheol delivers congratulatory remarks at the Goun Cultural Festival [Photo by Kwon Byeonggeon]

At the temple food festival, 20 branch temples affiliated with Gounsa will serve visitors 4,500 portions of traditional temple food free of charge during the event.

A range of other programs will also be offered, including temple food demonstrations and hands-on activities, tea gatherings with monks, meditation, environmental activities, a local partnership flea market and busking.

Three shuttle buses will also operate during the event to make it easier for visitors to get around.

In his welcoming remarks, Gounsa Abbot Deungun said, "Last year's wildfire brought us the pain of losing precious cultural heritage and forests at a thousand-year-old temple, but nature is sprouting life again, and a hopeful autumn has come to Gounsa. I hope this festival will help heal both wounded nature and people's hearts, and become a meaningful occasion for a thousand years of history and culture to be passed on to future generations."

In his congratulatory remarks, Uiseong County Governor Choi Yucheol said, "It is deeply meaningful to hold the festival again at the thousand-year-old Gounsa Temple after overcoming the pain of last year's massive wildfire. I hope this event will breathe new life into the wounded forest and mark an important first step toward restoring Gounsa's historical and cultural value."

Im Miae, a Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker, said, "The forest at Gounsa, blooming again after the scars of the wildfire, symbolizes hope for the local community. I will continue to work to ensure that the cultural heritage and nature of this thousand-year-old temple are fully restored."

Rep. Im Miae of the Democratic Party of Korea, representing Uiseong, Cheongsong, Yeongdeok and Uljin, speaks during her congratulatory remarks. [Photo by Kwon Byeonggeon]

This festival is significant as an opportunity to reflect on the natural environment at Gounsa, damaged by the wildfire, and to once again highlight the historical and cultural value preserved by the thousand-year-old temple.

In particular, by linking the recovery of the wildfire-damaged area with a tree-planting event open to public participation, the festival represents more than the resumption of a celebration: it reflects the local community's involvement in the restoration process.

Signs of the wildfire damage and newly growing vegetation can both be seen around Gounsa. The event is expected to offer an opportunity to observe how the forest has changed since the wildfire.

Restoring a thousand-year-old temple involves more than rebuilding the buildings that were destroyed. It is important to restore both the ecological health of the forest damaged by the wildfire and the cultural value sustained over many years. Attention is on whether the Goun Cultural Festival's return after a two-year hiatus will help sustain community interest in the ongoing restoration of nature and cultural heritage, beyond serving as a one-off event.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.