Three-story Stone Pagoda in Sinwol-ri, Yeongcheon

This is a stone pagoda from the 9th century, the Unified Silla period, standing 4.75 m high. Nothing is known of the name or scale of the temple that stood here when the pagoda was built; recently a hall was erected on the site and named Sinheungsa Temple, and the pagoda is preserved there. This Unified Silla-period stone pagoda has a two-tier base, above which a three-story body in the form of a tiled-roof house is stacked. On both the upper and lower tiers of the base, pillar-shaped carvings are cut at the corners and centre of each face, and the Eight Divisions are carved on each face of the upper base. The Eight Divisions are the images of eight deities who protect the Buddhist Law; on stone pagodas they are usually carved on the base, guarding the Buddha's relics or sutras enshrined in the body above. The body of the pagoda uses a single stone for the body stone and the roof stone of each story, with pillar shapes carved at the corners of each body stone. On the first-story body stone, door-shaped carvings appear on all four faces, each with a lock and door-ring shape carved within it. The underside of each roof stone is carved with four tiers of support blocks, and the eave line is horizontal but appears thick. Despite the thickness of the roof stones, the four corners of their sloping surfaces curve upward with great lightness. Overall there is some imbalance arising from the large size of the first-story body stone, and the carving on all four faces gives a somewhat exaggerated impression, yet it remains a beautiful work that retains the true craftsmanship of its period.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Yeongcheon, Gyeongbuk

Designation

Treasure · 보물