Stele for the Construction of Baengnyeonsa Temple, Gangjin

The Stele for the Construction of Baengnyeonsa Temple stands about 50 metres to the right of Baengnyeonsa's Daeungjeon Hall and is a typical stone stele 447 cm in height. It consists of a gwibu (a tortoise-shaped base), a bisin (the stele body) and an isu (a dragon-carved capstone). The base dates from the Goryeo period, while the stele body and capstone were made in 1681, the seventh year of King Sukjong of Joseon — the two parts thus having different construction dates. The base was carved from a single block of granite together with its ground-level foundation stone. The dragon head is drawn in, gazing straight ahead, with the mouth firmly closed to show seven evenly set teeth in both the upper and lower jaws, and a long beard flowing down to the folds of the neck below. The upper lip is slightly raised, and the eyes, set within a triangular composition, have round, full pupils. The horns run back behind the neck, splitting into two strands that connect to the seat for the stele. The upper surface of the shell is bordered by an incised frame 30 cm wide, within which a scrolling foliage design is carved in relief. The tortoise-shell pattern is hexagonal, with a lotus design carved inside each hexagon. All four feet have five claws each, and the tail curls up to the left. A seat for the stele is set at the centre of the upper surface of the base; its sides are carved in relief with a floral scroll design, and on top is a socket for the stele body measuring 118 cm by 15 cm. Judging by its overall style, the base is presumed to date from the early Goryeo period. The base measures 227 cm by 190 cm by 110 cm. The stele body is inscribed on two faces, with the main text on the front and back and a floral scroll design carved in relief on both sides. At the top of the front face, the title "Stele of Baengnyeonsa Temple on Mandeoksan Mountain" is carved in seal script with characters 15 cm in size, and beside it, written horizontally, is the full title "Stele for the Construction of Baengnyeonsa Temple on Mandeoksan Mountain, Gangjin, Jeolla-do." The back records the names of those who took part in the Buddhist rites at the time. The text was composed by Jo Jong-jeo (1631–1690) and written by Yi U (1637–1693), who held the title Hyeollok-daebu Nangseon-gun, while only the seal-script title at the top was written by Yi Gan (1640–1699), who held the title Gadeok-daebu Nangwon-gun. The inscription at the end shows that the stele was erected in 1681, the seventh year of King Sukjong of Joseon. The capstone takes the form of a hipped roof, its lower edge realistically rendering the double eaves of wooden architecture. At the top, two dragons are carved back to back, facing in opposite directions, in a highly realistic style of carving. The stele body measures 234 cm by 118 cm by 29 cm, and the capstone measures 170 cm by 75 cm. The base and the stele body of the Baengnyeonsa stele thus date from different periods. Nevertheless, the base is in excellent condition overall, and its outstanding carving fully preserves the style of the early Goryeo period. The stele itself also clearly displays the typical style of Joseon-period stone steles, and the floral scroll design carved in relief on both sides is a particularly unusual feature for a stele of this period. The Baengnyeonsa stele is therefore valuable for the stylistic characteristics of each of its parts, even though the base and the stele proper belong to different eras.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Gangjin, Jeonnam & Gwangju

Designation

Treasure · 보물