Flagpole Supports at Samnangsa Temple Site, Gyeongju

When a temple held a ceremony, a banner called a dang was hung at the temple entrance; the pole from which the banner was hung is called a danggan, and the two pillars supporting the pole on either side are called danggan-jiju, or flagpole supports. These flagpole supports remaining at the site of Samnangsa Temple stand far apart from each other, suggesting that only one of the two pillars remains in its original position. On the outer face of each pillar, facing the other, vertical ridges are carved in relief, and the top curves outward and rounds downward before forming a single-stepped curve, showing the typical form of the Unified Silla period. The middle section alone is hollowed out, making the pillar as a whole appear slender. On the inner face of each pillar, two grooves are cut, one above the other, to hold the flagpole in place. The length of each side is well-proportioned and harmonises well with the height, faithfully following the Unified Silla style, while attention has also been paid to ornamentation, such as thinning the middle section.

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Where it is

Region

Gyeongju, Gyeongbuk

Designation

Treasure · 보물