Daeungjeon Hall of Hwaeomsa Temple, Gurye

Hwaeomsa Temple stands at the southern foot of Jirisan Mountain and is said to have been founded during the Unified Silla period. In the Joseon dynasty it was a major temple, serving as the head monastery of the Seon (Zen) school, and after being completely burned down during the Japanese invasions of 1592–98 it was rebuilt under King Injo, continuing in that form to the present day. Among its buildings, the Daeungjeon Hall, the temple's main worship hall, is the second-largest building at Hwaeomsa after the Gakhwangjeon Hall. The present building is said to have been rebuilt by the great monk Byeogam in the eighth year of King Injo of Joseon (1630). It measures five bays across the front and three bays along the side, and its roof is a hip-and-gable roof which, seen from the side, takes the shape of the character 八 ('eight'). The bracket structure that supports the eaves is arranged in the dapo style, with clusters of brackets placed not only above the columns but also between them. The ceiling inside the hall is a coffered 'well' ceiling, formed in the shape of the character 井 ('well'), and above the triad of Buddha images hangs a decorative canopy in the form of a miniature roof, further heightening the solemn atmosphere. Large in scale and handsome in appearance, with well-balanced architectural features, this building is a valuable resource for the study of Korean architectural history after the mid-Joseon period.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Gurye, Jeonnam & Gwangju

Designation

Treasure · 보물