Photo Gallery

Small shrines of Korea (various ages)

The Korean countryside is dotted with hundreds of small shrines. Few of these are marked on the map and even fewer are visited by tourists. The majority of the shrines fit into one of four categories:

• Local Buddhist shrines managed by regional Buddhist temples.
• Shaman shrines, honoring Korea's native spirits. These include the Seven Star Spirit, Dangun, legendary generals, mountain gods, etc.
• Confucian memorials built in honor of notable local sages.
• Ancestral shrines marking the hometowns of prestigious families.