Bell Tower of Songgwangsa Temple, Wanju

Songgwangsa Temple was first founded in 867, the seventh year of King Gyeongmun of Unified Silla, by the monk Doui. It later fell into ruin, and although the eminent monk State Preceptor Bojo of the mid-Goryeo period had his disciples attempt to rebuild it on the same site, the work could not be completed for a long time; it is said that the temple was finally rebuilt in 1622, the fourteenth year of King Gwanghaegun, by the monks Eungho, Seungmyeong, Unjeong, Deongnim, Deuksun, Hongsin and others. Expansion work continued thereafter up to 1636, the fourteenth year of King Injo, and the temple flourished into a major establishment. The bell tower housing the bell is also known as the Sipjagak (Cross-shaped Pavilion). The Sipjagak is a two-storey pavilion built in the shape of the Chinese character for 'ten' (十), a cross-like form. Around the central bay where the bell hangs, one bay is added on each of the four sides—east, west, south and north—and the roof, too, gathers dramatically toward the centre. The bell is housed in the central bay, while the mokeo (a wooden fish-shaped percussion instrument), drum and unpan (a cloud-shaped gong) are each kept in one of the projecting bays. Below the floor, the columns are a mixture of round and square pillars, while all the columns above are round. It is of great value as the only two-storey pavilion of cross-shaped ('十') plan surviving from the Joseon period.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Wanju, Jeonbuk

Designation

Treasure · 보물