Three-story Stone Pagoda at Yeongamsa Temple Site, Hapcheon

The site of Yeongamsa Temple lies on the southern slope of Hwangmaesan Mountain and was a Silla-period temple site. The date of its founding is unknown, but a record that Seon Master Jeogyeon died here in 1014 suggests that the temple had already been built before that time. Various stone remains survive at the site, including this stone pagoda, a twin-lion stone lantern, and a stele-bearing tortoise base. The body of this pagoda had collapsed, and it was restored in 1969; it now stands between two newly built buildings in front of the Geumdang Hall. It is a three-storey pagoda set on a two-tier platform, following the typical style of Unified Silla stone pagodas. Pillar shapes are carved at the corners and centre of the platform. In the body of the pagoda, the body stones and roof stones are each made of a single piece, and pillar shapes are carved at the corners of the body stones. The first-storey body stone is somewhat taller, while the second and third storeys are markedly reduced. The undersides of the roof stones each have four-tiered supports; the eaves are horizontal, and the roofline descends in a gentle curve that lifts slightly at the four corners. The finial has been entirely lost, but a hole for fitting an iron rod remains on the upper surface of the third-storey roof stone. Although the upper platform and the first-storey body stone feel somewhat tall, the pagoda as a whole keeps its overall balance, and the fitting of its parts is simple and neat. It faithfully carries on the style of Silla stone pagodas, but the somewhat slender rendering of the pillars and the reduced number of roof-stone supports suggest that it was built around the ninth century.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Hapcheon, Gyeongnam

Designation

Treasure · 보물