Founded under the Koryo dynasty at the start of the 11th century, the temple flourished as one of the greatest centers of Buddhism in the north of Korea, and became a renowned place of pilgrimage.

During the Imjin Wars, when Japanese warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi ordered several attempted invasions of Korea, the temple became a stronghold for bands of warrior monks led by the great saint Sosan.

During the war, the temple was charged with protection the Chonju copy of the four Annals of the Yi Dynasty, which was secured in the nearby Puryong Hermitage.

In 1951, at the start of the Korean War, the complex was bombed by US forces, who destroyed over half of its 24 pre-war buildings, including the main prayer hall.

Constructed in 1794, this small walled compound honors the priests who led bands of warrior monks to repel the Japanese invasions of 1592-1598.

Inside, memorial services were once held for the great monk Sŏsan, who once resided in this temple and was instrumental in driving out the invasion forces of Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

It houses a copy of the Tripitaka Koreana, a UNESCO-designated cultural relic; the original wooden printing blocks, however, are located at Haeinsa.