• Journal of architectural history
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.55-70
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• 2021

The Sacheonwangsa temple was established in 670 under the leadership of Myeongnyang in response to the invasion of the Tang Dynasty. At this time, Geumdang hall stylobate was constructed, which was about 30% smaller than the reconstruction. Due to the wartime situation, the construction of wooden buildings did not seem to have been achieved. The Sacheonwangsa temple was reconstructed in 679 as a symbol of the Hoguk(護國) temple. The size of the Geumdang Hall stylobate was planned as an important module for the entire temple. The stylobate fasad was designed at intervals of Tangju(撑柱), just like the JuKhan(柱間) plan of wooden architecture. There is a possibility that eight Devas may have been decorated in Front fasad. When the Sacheonwangsa Temple was rebuilt, the Geumdang Hall was added by the ChayangKhan(遮陽間) and an Ikrang(翼廊) was installed next to it. These changes affect the material and form of the stylobate. It was changed to a durable stone post-lintel style stylobate and the intervals of Tangju(撑柱) in Front fasad was also adjusted. As the highest-quality stylobate in East Asia at the time, the Geumdang Hall stylobate is considered to have taken Silla's architectural skills to the next level.

• Journal of architectural history
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.71-80
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• 2021

This study tries to shed light on character and architectural features of the 2nd construction of Bunhwangsa temple in the mid-8th century. The site of Bunhwangsa Temple is divided into upper and lower areas based on retaining walls running from northwest to southeast, and the main area of the temple centered on Geumdang(the main hall) is located in the upper area. Space composition of the lower area including Wonji(a garden pond) and Gangdang(a lecture hall), is noteworthy in that Bunhwangsa Temple was constructed in a deviating way from rigorous constructional disciplines and used their space efficiently. The Geumdang in the 2nd construction was the largest worship hall with 7×6 bays. The hall was designed to divide its space into two ; the core space was surrounded by outer space. Each gap between columns in the hall was narrowed from center to outer. The main construction of the Geumdang was built as a stable structure with lead-to corridors. This was a much-advanced style than Geumdang at Hwangnyongsa Temple. The Gangdang is presumed to be a large building site as a typical Gangdang style in the Silla era. It was built in the late 9th century and was located in the northern part of the retaining walls. The composition of the middle gate and southern corridors were in double and long corridor style and they were located in front of the 2nd construction. This style coincided in the form of the architectural style of the Hwangnongsa Temple. The 2nd construction of the Bunhwangsa Temple was smaller than the Hwangnongsa Temple. However, it was a prestigious architecture.

• Journal of architectural history
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.77-90
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• 2019

The Sacheonwangsa temple in Silla was completed in 679, just after the unification of the Three Kingdoms. In recent years, we have been critically considering the history of the chronology based on the existence of 'Geumdang of the previous generation', which has emerged through the research report of the Sacheonwangsa temple. It is the one to reconsider the construction process of the Sacheonwangsa temple centering on the re-interpretation of the construction time and the character of the first stage of the foundation which was confirmed from within the Geumdang site. The results of this study are as follows : 1)The "Chang(創) of Sacheonwangsa temple" in [Three Affairs that Queen Seondeok had already known] that it is presumed that the construction of the Sacheonwangsa temple, which was designed by Anham before 640 years ago, will convey the fact that the first of the King Munmu's reign (661 ~) has been finalized after the initial discussion. 2)Although the theories after excavations are predicated on the existence of 'Geumdang of the previous generation', there is no reason to believe that a lasting predecessor building with roof and pillar walls on predecessor buildings is considered to have been built. The foundation was associated with the "build a temple out of coloured silk(以彩帛營寺)" i.e. 'Jochang(祖創)' in 670 years before the construction plan was formally finalized. However, it is presumed that the remains of the platform construction on the premise that it will be used on the construction of Geumdang. 3)The decision to 'rebuilding( ??)' based on a formal construction plan is determined to be from 670 to 672 years. The maintaining of the original cathedral axis line, to the north on the boundary of the southern limit of the foundation flat portion, the result of developing and embodied the relative position of the Geumdang in the newly determined cathedral unfold and embody, the center of the building base and Geumdang, it is presumed that the centers of them are divided into North and south. 4)The completion of the Sacheonwangsa temple in 679 is understood as the conclusion of 'rebuilding' to "build a temple out of coloured silk" i.e. 'Jochang' in 670 years. The pent roof of the Geumdang was initially considered not to be in the plan, but it is judged to be before the completion of the Sacheonwangsa temple.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.80-109
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• 2020

The Sacheonwangsa Temple in Silla is an esoteric temple that was founded provisionally in 670, and was completed in 679. This study attempted to elucidate the planning method of the Sacheonwangsa Temple based on the results of research on excavations and investigations into its construction processes and construction measures thereof. The research results are as follows. (1) In the site construction, assuming the size of one Bang (坊) on the south of Nangsan Mountain, after dividing the north-south width into three equal parts, there is a possibility that two of these parts were set to the flat portion. (2) In the 'Jochang (祖創, 670)', it is estimated that an area of 300 cheoks by 300 cheoks was postulated on the flat surface, and, as an initial conception, the mandala's plane design of the outer square 2 hasta (3 cheoks) and inner square 1 hasta (1.5 cheoks) was originally devised for the setting of 'Mudra (神印)', and an area 100 times greater has been set as the basis in the scale and layout planning of the central block. (3) During 'Gaechang (攺刱, ~679)', it is judged that because of the narrowness of the distance between the Pagoda and Geumdang Hall, which occurs when the center of the Geumdang Hall coincides with the center of 'the first stage of the foundation (先築基壇)', the scale and layout planning were adjusted from the initial conception. (4) The arrangement of the building was determined by dividing the fixed size of the central block (280 cheoks by 320 cheoks). Specifically, the east-west direction is set on the quartile's line of the east-west width of the central block, and in contrast, the north-south direction is based on the structural characteristics of the central block. It is presumed that the position of the transept was determined through the division and adjustment of the column spacing of the east-west corridor, then the Geumdang Hall and Altar were based on this. (5) The scale of the Geumdang Hall and Pagoda is determined by the petition of the division by the unit fraction starting from the quartile's line of the central block's east-west width. This planning is understood to be based on the self-similarity, which is rooted in the mandala's plane design as the model.

• MISULJARYO - National Museum of Korea Art Journal
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• v.104
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• pp.10-39
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• 2023

Seongjusa Temple was founded in Boryeong in Chungcheongnam-do Province by Monk Muyeom (800-888), better known as Nanghye Hwasang. After returning from studying in China, Muyeom stayed in the Silla capital city of Gyeongju for a period. He later settled in a temple that was managed by the descendants of Kim In-mun (629-694). He then restored a burned-out temple and opened it in 847 as a Seon (Zen) temple named Seongjusa. It prospered and grew to become a large-scale temple with several halls within its domains. The influence of Seongjusa in the region can be seen in the Historical Record of Seongjusa Temple on Sungamsan Mountain, which relates that there were seventy-three rooms within the domains of the temple. What is most notable in the record is that the temple is referred to as "栴檀林九間," which means either "a structure with nine rooms built with Chinese juniper wood" or "a place that houses Chinese juniper wood and has nine rooms." Regardless of the interpretation, Seongjusa Temple had a large amount of juniper wood. Around this time, the term "juniper" referred to the olibanum tree (Boswellia sacra) native to the islands of Java and Sumatra in Southeast Asia. It is presumed that at some point after the death of Jang Bogo, the maritime forces that controlled the southwestern coast of Korea may have acquired a large amount of Southeast Asian olibanum wood and offered it to Seongjusa Temple. During the reign of King Munseong, Kim Yang (808-857) patronized Seongjusa Temple and its head monk Muyeom, who enjoyed a lofty reputation in the region. He sought to strengthen his own position as a member of the royal lineage of King Muyeol and create a bridge between the royal family and Seongjusan Buddhist sect. The court of King Wonseong designated Seongjusa Temple as a regional base for the support of royal authority in an area where anti-royal sentiment remained strong. Monk Muyeom is believed to have created an iron Buddha to protect the temple, enlighten the people, and promote regional stability. Given that the Seongjusa community had expanded to include more than 2,000 followers, the iron Buddha at Seongjusa Temple would have been perceived as an image that rallied the local residents. It is assumed that there were two iron Buddhas at Seongjusa Temple. The surviving parts of these Buddhas and the size of their pedestals suggest that they were respectively enshrined in the Geumdang Main Hall and the Samcheonbuljeon Hall of Three Thousand Buddhas. It is presumed that the first iron Buddha in Geumdang was a large statue over two meters in height and the second one was medium-sized with the height over one meter. The Historical Record of Seongjusa Temple on Sungamsan Mountain contains the phrase "改創選法堂五層重閣" which indicates that a multistoried Geumdang was newly built to enshrine a large Buddha sculpture like the first iron Buddha when Seongjusa Temple was founded. Also, according to the Stele of Seongjusa Temple and the surviving finger fragments, the first Buddha was making the fear-not and wish-granting (abhayavarada) mudras. The main Buddha of Seongjusa Temple is possibly Nosana Buddha, just like the main Buddhas at the contemporaneous temples Silsangsa, Borimsa, and Samhwasa. Given that Monk Muyeom studied Hwaeom teachings in his early years and received royal patronage upon his return, it is believed that the retro tendencies of the Hwaeom school, centered on the royal family of the Silla Dynasty, were reflected in Seongjusa temple.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.238-259
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• 2021

Gameunsa Temple is a Buddhist temple from the mid-Silla period. Construction began during the reign of King Munmu and was completed during the second year of King Sinmun's reign (682). This study is based on the results of excavations at the Gameunsa Temple site, exploring the findings presented in the literature in the field of history. This study also investigates the characteristics of the construction plan of Gameunsa Temple and its correlation with the political, social, and religious environment of the time. The results of the study are as follows: (1) First, it is confirmed that all of the buildings in the central block of Gameunsa Temple, such as the pagoda and corridor, the central gate, and the auditorium, fit within 216 cheoks by 216 cheoks (Goguryeo unit of measurement, estimated dimensions 353.30 mm), in terms of the base structure. This fact is highly significant considering the intent of the King in the mid-Silla period to advocate Confucian political ideals at the Donghaegu sites (Daewangam, Igyeondae Pavilion, and Gameunsa Temple), as confirmed by the relationship between the 'Manpasikjeok legend' and the Confucianism of the etiquette and the music; the relationship between the name of the 'Igyeondae Pavilion' and the 'I Ching'; and the relationship between the 'Taegeuk stones excavated from the Gameunsa Temple site' and the 'I Ching.' Additionally, it may be presumed that the number in the "Qian 216" on the Xici shang of 'I Ching' was used as a basis for determining the size of the central block in the early stages of the design of Gameunsa Temple. The layout of the halls and pagodas of Gameunsa Temple was planned to be within a 216-cheok-by-216-cheok area, from the edge to the center, i.e., on the central axis of the temple, in the following order: the central gate and auditorium, the north-south position of Geumdang Hall, the south corridor, the east-west buildings of the auditorium and the winged corridor, the east-west corridor, and the central position of the east-west stone pagoda. (2) Second, the coexistence of Confucianism and Buddhism in the architecture of Gameunsa Temple is based on the understanding of the Golden Light Sutra, originating from the aspirations of King Munmu to obtain the immeasurable merits (陰陽調和時不越序 日月星宿不失常度 風雨隨時無諸災横) and the light of the Buddha, which is metaphorically represented by the sun and the moon illuminating the whole world of Silla, a new nation with a Confucian political ideology, for a long time by "circumambulating the Buddha (旋繞)". It is also presumed that Gyeongheung, who was appointed by King Munmu to be the Guksa in his will and appointed as the Gukro after the enthronement of King Sinmun, was deeply involved in the conception and realization of the syncretism of Confucianism and Buddhism.