Three-story Stone Pagoda of Pyochungsa Temple, Miryang

This is a three-story stone pagoda standing in front of Daehongwonjeon Hall at Pyochungsa Temple. A stone lantern that appears to be of the same period stands before the pagoda, but this does not seem to be the original location of either the pagoda or the lantern. Pyochungsa Temple's original name was Jungnimsa Temple; it is said that in the fourth year of King Heungdeok of Silla (829) the temple underwent a second major expansion and was renamed Yeongjeongsa Temple. In the fifth year of King Heonjong of Joseon (1839), Pyochung Shrine, which until then had stood in Muan-myeon, Miryang-gun, was relocated to Yeongjeongsa Temple, and the temple's name was accordingly changed to Pyochungsa Temple; the layout of the temple buildings was also substantially altered at this time, and it is presumed that this pagoda was moved to its present position then as well. The base has pillar shapes carved at the corners and centre, with each face divided into two sections. In the body of the pagoda, the body stone and roof stone of each storey are each carved from a single block. The first-storey body stone is unusually tall in relation to the base, giving the pagoda an unusual sense of proportion; very broad pilasters are carved at its corners, with no other decoration. The second-storey body stone is sharply reduced in height compared with the first, and the third storey is further reduced in turn; pilaster shapes are likewise carved at the corners of the second and third storeys, though their width narrows as the whole structure diminishes. The roof stones have four tiers of supports beneath them, the eaves run horizontally, and the roofline flows down in a graceful curve before lifting lightly at the four corners. A finial once crowned the pagoda, though it is no longer fully intact, and above it stands an iron rod about 1 m long with a pointed tip. Although the oversized first-storey body stone is a shortcoming, this is an unassuming pagoda that follows the Silla stone pagoda style with a single-tier base, and its relatively well-preserved finial has drawn particular attention to the work.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Miryang, Gyeongnam

Designation

Treasure · 보물