Five-story Stone Pagoda in Gagok-ri, Gokseong

This stone pagoda stands at a temple site on the northern slope of Maebong Peak in Gagok-ri, and takes the form of a five-storey pagoda body set upon a two-tiered base. The bottommost base stone of the Five-storey Stone Pagoda in Gagok-ri is buried within a cement foundation, so its original form cannot be determined. The lower tier of the base has no pillar shapes carved on it, but the upper tier has corner pillars carved into it. The roof stones of the five storeys diminish in appropriate proportion; the first-storey body stone is made up of four separate stones, while the body stones of the second storey and above are each formed of a single stone, and corner pillars are carved on every body stone. On the south face of the body stones from the second to the fifth storey, square niches are cut to create the effect of a gamsil, a niche for enshrining a Buddhist image. The roof-stone supports from the first to the fourth storey have three tiers, while the fifth-storey roof-stone support has two tiers. The slope of the upper surface of the roof stones is gentle, but the hip-ridges at both ends are rendered very thick, showing the characteristics of a Baekje-style pagoda. The eave line of the roof stones runs horizontal before curving slightly upward at the ends, and there are holes at the corners of the roof stones that appear to have once held wind chimes. A particularly unusual feature is that, on top of the roof stone of every storey, a separate stone forms a body-stone support propping up the body stone above. Except for the sangnyunbu, the finial at the very top, the components of this pagoda retain their original form relatively well, and it clearly shows both the style of the standard stone pagodas built in the Goryeo period and the characteristics of the Baekje-style stone pagodas erected chiefly in the Chungcheong and Jeolla regions. In this respect the pagoda closely resembles the Five-storey Stone Pagoda in Namsan-ri, Damyang (Treasure). In particular, together with the style expressed in the pagoda body and roof stones, the presence of body-stone supports can be regarded as representative of Goryeo-period stone pagoda style. Overall elegant, with highly refined carving technique and a sense of stability, this pagoda is a Baekje-style stone pagoda that appeared on former Baekje territory during the Goryeo period, and it is a work of outstanding historical, academic and artistic value.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Gokseong, Jeonnam & Gwangju

Designation

Treasure · 보물