Stone Lantern of Gwanchoksa Temple, Nonsan

This square stone lantern stands before the large stone Buddha in the front courtyard of Gwanchoksa Temple. Centred on the hwasaseok, the chamber that holds the light, it has a three-tiered pedestal below and a roof stone with a finial above. With its square plan it is typical of the Goryeo style, and the bold lotus designs carved on the lower and upper pedestal stones give a sense of thickness and weight. The middle pedestal is a thick, round pillar without angles, encircled by two bands at each end, top and bottom, and three bands in the middle; of these three, the thickest, central band is finely decorated with carvings of eight flowers. The two-tiered light chamber has four pillars on its lower level supporting the roof stone; the pillars are slender while the window openings are disproportionately wide. The eaves of each roof curve gently, and large flower carvings stand at the four corners, creating a soft harmony. At the very top is a large finial in the shape of a flower bud carved with flame designs, which looks heavy, perhaps owing to the thickness of the carving. Overall it appears as powerful as the stone Buddha standing behind it, but the balance is disrupted by the thin pillars of the light chamber, and the effect is somewhat diminished by the middle pedestal pillar, which is too thick and lacks angles. It is presumed to have been built in 968, the nineteenth year of King Gwangjong of Goryeo, together with the stone Buddha behind it, the Standing Stone Maitreya Bodhisattva of Gwanchoksa Temple, Nonsan (a national treasure). In South Korea, it is the largest stone lantern after the Stone Lantern before Gakhwangjeon Hall at Hwaeomsa Temple, Gurye (a national treasure).

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Nonsan, Chungnam

Designation

Treasure · 보물