• Journal of architectural history
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.35-54
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• 2010

This study aims to examine the development process of the early stone pagodas of Unified Silla. The history of stone pagodas traces back to both Baekje and Silla in the Three Kingdoms period, but the styles and structures of pagodas began differently. In other words, Baekje attempted to recreate the wooden pagoda style, while Silla attempted to recreate China' brick pagoda style. These different stone pagoda cultures, around the unification of Three Kingdoms, underwent new style changes, and after the mid-7th century, some changes in the five-storied stone pagodas in Tapri appeared, and the milestone perfection of Silla's stone pagodas was achieved through those of Gameusa Temple and Goseonsa Temple. After the mid-7th century, Silla's stone pagodas accommodated some of Baekje's wooden pagodas' elements, shifted from the wooden pagoda style and developed into its own stone pagoda style. This is shown in numerous stone pagodas. However, in Silla's stone pagodas, including the three-storied stone pagoda in Hwagboksa Temple in 692, the size of the pagoda became small and underwent sudden changes. In other words, a new direction of Silla stone pagodas was presented in terms of how massive stones could be reduced, but they differed only in the reduced stone amount; the basic developed style of the Gameunsa Temple stone pagoda and the Goseonsa Temple stone pagoda inherited the traditional style. Thus, the construction of these two pagodas is considered to be significant in the Silla's history of stone pagodas.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.154-169
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• 2009

Korea is famous for a number of stone pagodas. In particular, it is noticeable that the stone pagodas came after wooden pagodas in all the Kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla. Since the advent of wooden pagodas, it was during the latter half period of Three Kingdoms(especially, in the early Seventh century) that the first stone pagoda appeared at Mireuksa Temple site in imitation of the wooden ones. Now that no one can deny that Korean stone pagodas have developed, imitating the wooden pagodas. It is also obvious that the Stone Pagoda at Mireuksa site is the prototype of Korean stone pagodas. However, this study casts doubt on the theory that the stone pagodas in the Silla Kingdom originated not from the wooden pagodas, but from the brick pagodas, whereas the stone pagodas in Baekje Kingdom which has been said to come from the wooden ones. The fact that the temples and pagodas in both Baekje and Silla were erected by the same builders and technicians is one of the evidences supporting the assertion of the study. This study, accordingly, examines on the origin of the Silla pagodas by supposing the two genealogies. The first one can be summarized in chronological order as follows: starting from wooden pagodas, Stone Pagoda at Mireuksa site, Stone Pagoda at Jungrimsa site, Stone Pagoda at Gameunsa site, and Stone Pagoda at Goseonsa site. The second one, on the other hand, runs as follows: starting from bick pagodas, Stone Pagoda at Bunhwangsa, Uiseong Tapri five-storied Stone Pagoda, Seonsan Jukjang-ri five-storied Stone Pagoda, and Seonsan Naksan-ri three-storied Stone Pagoda in order. As the above genealogies show, the origin of the stone pagodas has been an controversy, especially because of the two different points of view: the one is that the roof-supporting strata(Okgaesuk-Bachim) originated from the brick structure and the ancient tomb ceiling of Goguryeo Kingdom, and the other is that the strata is a sort of the simplified design of the wooden roof structure. This study, however, takes note of the difference in length of the strata between the brick pagodas and the stone pagodas; the former stretches out its strata longer than the latter. Consequently, the study points out that the roof-supporting strata of the stone pagodas is originally a sort of modification of the wooden roof structure.