Four Lion Nine-story Stone Pagoda at Sajabinsinsa Temple Site, Jecheon

This Goryeo-period pagoda stands at the site of Sajabinsinsa Temple; it has four storeys of roof stones set on a two-tiered platform, upper and lower. The lower platform bears an inscription recording the circumstances of the pagoda's construction, while the upper platform has the unusual feature of four lions supporting the body of the pagoda. One lion stands at each of the four corners, and a Buddha statue is enshrined in the space they enclose. The seated Buddha statue unusually wears a hood, and its facial expression is highly intriguing. This style imitates the Four-Lion Three-story Stone Pagoda at Hwaeomsa Temple in Gurye, a national treasure of the Unified Silla period, and several other such pagodas survive besides these two. At present, four storeys of roof stones remain on the body, but the inscription on the lower platform confirms that the pagoda originally had nine storeys. Built in 1022, the thirteenth year of King Hyeonjong of Goryeo, this pagoda has a firmly established date, making it an important reference for estimating the construction dates of other stone pagodas through comparison of structure, style and carving technique.

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Where it is

Region

Jecheon, Chungbuk

Designation

Treasure · 보물