The announcement comes from the National Heritage Administration regarding the elevation of certain temple buildings constructed or reconstructed in the 17th to 18th centuries to the status of national treasures. The five-story stone pagodas of the Bowonsa site in Seosan and the Gaesimsa site in Yecheon have been promoted to national treasure status, 62 years after being designated as treasures.
A pavilion building that fully embodies the history of a temple, constructed in the late Joseon Dynasty, will be added to the list of treasures. According to the National Heritage Administration, Suncheon Songgwangsa Temple’s Chimgyeru, Andong Bongjeongsa Temple’s Manseru, and Hwaseong Yongjusa Temple’s Cheonboru are set to be designated as treasures.
During the Joseon Dynasty, pavilions in temples were located in front of the main Buddha hall and used as spaces for ceremonies and sermons. The typical layout of a temple consists of the Iljumun gate, the Sacheonwangmun gate (Four Heavenly Kings Gate), the pavilion, and the main hall. Despite its great architectural value, only four pavilions among existing temple pavilions have been designated as treasures, including Wanju Hwaamsa Temple’s Uhwalu, Yeongju Buseoksa Temple’s Anyanglu, Gochang Seonunsa Temple’s Manseru, and Goseong Okcheonsa Temple’s Jabangru.
The National Heritage Administration conducted a survey on 38 temple pavilions nationwide from 2023 and decided to designate three buildings newly constructed or reconstructed during the late Joseon period as treasures.
Suncheon Songgwangsa’s Chimgyeru, rebuilt in 1668, was identified as having been built with timber felled in 1687. Unlike other temple pavilions, Chimgyeru, a large pavilion with seven bays at the front and three bays at the sides, was used by monks as a space for study and research.
The Manseru pavilion at Bongjeongsa Temple in Andong, built in 1680 and also known as ‘Deokhwiru’, has maintained its current form with little damage or alteration since its restoration in 1818. The diverse combination of columns and beams and restrained interior decoration are notable features.
Hwaseong Yongjusa Temple’s Cheonboru, constructed in a royal temple built by King Jeongjo for his father, Crown Prince Sado, in 1790, possesses research value as it reflects Confucian architectural elements seen in palatial architecture alongside the characteristics of a royal temple.
The National Heritage Administration plans to finalize the treasure designations after a 30-day review period and cultural heritage committee deliberations.
Additionally, the National Heritage Administration has designated the five-story stone pagodas at the Bowonsa site in Seosan and the Gaesimsa site in Yecheon as national treasures. These pagodas were designated as treasures in 1963 and have now been elevated to national treasure status after approximately 62 years. The Seosan pagoda retains the carving style and techniques of the Unified Silla period along with the characteristics of Goryeo stone pagodas, while the Yecheon pagoda has 190 inscriptions, providing information on its construction period, process, and the socio-cultural context of the time.