English | The Four Lion Three-story Stone Pagoda
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Author Jogye On24-08-30 10:40 Views267 Comments0Related links
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Jirisan(Jiri Mountain) is one of the most prominent mountains in South Korea. Worthy of its reputation, there are numerous famous temples on Jiri Mountain. Among these, the most distinguished temple is Hwaeomsa(華嚴寺). Situated at the southern foothill of Banyabong Peak and Nogodan of Jiri Mountain, Hwaeomsa is a millennial temple that has kept the dharma lineage since the Silla Kingdom period (57 BCE-935 CE). Furthermore, the famous advocate of Avatamsaka(flower garland) belief, Great Master Uisang (義湘, 625-702), disseminated his teaching in the temples. As one of those ten temples of Avatamsaka, Hwaeomsa is the embodiment of the Avatamsaka School.
The Four Lion Three-story Stone Pagoda, along with the Avatamsaka Sutra Stone Scripture, represents the long-standing history and high status of Hwaeomsa Temple as the oldest extant visual culture artifact. The Four Lion Three-story Stone Pagoda, celebrated for its outstanding aesthetic beauty, is considered one of the finest examples of Korea's unique stone pagodas.
The Four Lion Three-story Stone Pagoda, along with the Dabotap Pagoda of Bulguksa Temple, is one of the representative pagodas of Korean Buddhist stone pagodas. It was designated as a National Treasure on December 20, 1962. The pagoda stands 5.5 meters tall and is presumed to be a work of the Unified Silla period. For safety reasons, it was dismantled in 2016 and restored in 2021. During the dismantling process, various artifacts were discovered. This includes gilt-bronze decorations presumed to date back to before the Goryeo period, as well as items from the Joseon era to modern times.