Manseru Pavilion of Seonunsa Temple, Gochang

According to the Record of Daeyangru (1686) and the Record of the Renovation of Manseru (1760), both preserved at Seonunsa Temple, Manseru was first built as Daeyangru in 1620, the twelfth year of King Gwanghaegun, and after being destroyed by fire was rebuilt in 1752, the twenty-eighth year of King Yeongjo. It is a single-storey building nine bays wide and two bays deep, built in the ikgong bracket style (a form of bracket set placed directly on the columns) with a gable roof, and survives in good condition to this day. It is said to have originally been built as a two-storey pavilion, but was changed to its present single-storey form when it was rebuilt; this reflects a broader trend in late Joseon temple layouts, in which pavilions came to be treated as an extension of the main worship hall. Manseru is regarded as an example of a pavilion building that aptly reflects this shift in the character of Buddhist temple complexes over time. A distinctive feature of Manseru is its nine-bay front, the largest known among temple pavilions. Surviving temple pavilions are generally three bays wide, with some examples of five or seven bays, but a nine-bay pavilion is rare. In this building, the central three bays carry a main beam set on flat columns at front and rear, while the three bays on either side use a system of paired beams supported by tall central columns. In this way, Manseru combines two different beam structures within a single building, both reinforcing structural stability and emphasising the central space of the pavilion. Another distinctive feature is that the ridge beam above the central bay's tall column uses a naturally forked piece of timber, one end of which splits into two branches; rather than being artificially shaped, this naturally forked wood was deliberately chosen, giving the beams at the top of the building the appearance of dancing.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Gochang, Jeonbuk

Designation

Treasure · 보물