The latrine at Seonamsa temple in Suncheon [Cultural Heritage Administration]
The latrine at Seonamsa temple in Suncheon [Cultural Heritage Administration]

Three temple latrines have been proposed for designation as national folk cultural heritage, in a move that broadens the scope of heritage recognition to include everyday lifestyle spaces within monastic communities.

The Cultural Heritage Administration said Tuesday it had announced plans to designate three temple latrines — the latrine at Seonamsa in Suncheon, the haeuso at Bodeoksa in Yeongwol, and the haeuso at Gugilam hermitage of Haeinsa in Hapcheon — as national folk cultural heritage.

Haeuso is the Buddhist term for a temple latrine. The word carries a philosophical meaning rooted in the idea that emptying the body also releases mental anguish and worldly worries, allowing practitioners to focus fully on spiritual cultivation.

The haeuso at Bodeoksa temple in Yeongwol [Cultural Heritage Administration]
The haeuso at Bodeoksa temple in Yeongwol [Cultural Heritage Administration]

The three sites were selected for their rarity and historical significance — each has a confirmed construction date and remains in use today in its original location and form. Traditional haeusos have been disappearing rapidly, prompting calls for their preservation.

The construction date of each facility can be verified through ridge-beam inscriptions. The Bodeoksa haeuso was built in 1882 and the Gugilam haeuso at Haeinsa in 1910. The Seonamsa latrine's history before the 1920s can be traced through a reference to a "cheongcheuk" (latrine) in the 1704 temple record "Jogyesanseonamsa Sajeok," photographs from the Japanese colonial period, and a 1928 repair inscription. All three facilities have remained in the same location and form for more than 100 years.

The haeuso at Gugilam hermitage of Haeinsa temple in Hapcheon [Cultural Heritage Administration]
The haeuso at Gugilam hermitage of Haeinsa temple in Hapcheon [Cultural Heritage Administration]

Architecturally, all three share a design that takes advantage of sloped terrain — single-story at the front and a raised, multi-story pavilion structure at the rear. Open frameworks and latticed windows provide natural light and ventilation, exemplifying the traditional temple latrine form.

Another defining feature is the composting method: waste is fermented with rice husks and fallen leaves to produce fertilizer, reflecting a traditional resource-cycling approach to daily life. The haeuso occupies the position of the "donsa" (east building) within the classical seven-hall temple layout, serving as a space that embodies the rules and lifestyle of the monastic community.

The Cultural Heritage Administration plans to gather public opinion over 30 days before submitting the designations for review by the National Heritage Committee.


terry@heraldcorp.com