Inwang-sanGuksa-dang National Spirit Shrine one of the Korea's most-sacred sites Central Shamanic Shrine of the Inwang-sa Complex
The Guksa-dang at the center of the "Inwang-sa" temple/shrine complex of southern Inwang-san, just below the Seon-bawi, is Korea's foremost Shamanic Shrine [Musok-dang]. It was originally located on the peak of Nam-san (a.k.a. Myeonmok-san, seen in the hazy distance in the below photo) but was moved here in 1933 to avoid it being torn down by Japanese Imperialists. It contains a collection of what are believed by many scholars to be Korea's oldest extant Shamanic paintings (1700s) -- of particular value is what may be the oldest Sanshin-do [Mountain-Spirit Painting] and the oldest Dan-gun-do [Altar- King Painting of the mythical national Founder]. The Guksa-dang is now privately-managed by a small group of Shamans and their supporters, as-if it were not a public treasure of all Korean citizens -- they are sometimes friendly to visitors, but often not.