Stele of Master Jingam at Ssanggyesa Temple, Hadong

The stele of Jingam, a celebrated monk of the later Unified Silla period. Jingam (774–850) introduced the Buddhist chant known as beompae and made it widely known. He went to Tang China in 804 and was ordained there, returned in 830, and was held in high regard by the kings of his day for his conduct and his power in the teaching. He died at Ssanggyesa at seventy-seven. The stone body has been damaged, but the turtle base below and the capstone above are both present. Following the practice of late Unified Silla, the turtle's head is a dragon's, and its shell is filled with hexagons. A large socket is set at the centre of its back to take the body stone, with cloud carved on its four sides. The rectangular body is cracked in several places and much damaged. On the capstone dragons fight over a jewel, vigorously carved, and across the front is the title, Stele of Jingam of Korea. At the top a jewel-shaped ornament sits above a rising lotus. It was raised in 887, after Okcheonsa — where Jingam had practised — was renamed Ssanggyesa. It is famous because Choe Chi-won, the foremost writer of the day, both composed the text and wrote it out; the calligraphy keeps the natural movement of the brush and is alive on the stone, enough to remind anyone why his name carried.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Hadong, Gyeongnam

Designation

National Treasure · 국보