Master Jigong Stupa and Stone Lantern

Although the exact date when Hoeamsa Temple in Yangju was founded is not clearly known, many eminent monks of the Goryeo and Joseon periods resided there. In the Joseon period it was renowned as a place visited or stayed in by members of the royal family devoted to Buddhism, such as King Taejo Yi Seong-gye and Prince Hyoryeong, and important state Buddhist ceremonies were also held there. On the low ridge that forms to the north of the present Hoeamsa temple site, the stupas and stone lanterns of Royal Preceptor Seongak, Master Jigong, and Great Master Muhak are arranged in a row, from the top down. The Stupa of Master Jigong follows the general structure and style established since Silla times: in plan, the base and body are octagonal, while the finial is circular. Each component is finished cleanly and neatly, without patterns or ornament on its surface. The body stone appears circular but is in fact octagonal, with angles cut at its eight corners. The roof stone (a stone that caps a stone pagoda or lantern like a roof) is made to resemble the roof of a wooden building. The finial is composed of several tiers of ring-shaped ornaments, giving an impression of sanctity. The stone lantern is square in plan and, though without special ornament on its surface, gives a stable impression. Master Jigong was born in India and became a renowned monk in the Yuan dynasty of China; on hearing of his fame, many Goryeo monks, including the monk Naong, travelled there to study under him and receive his teaching. After Master Jigong passed away, reliquary stupas enshrining his sarira (relics) were erected at several temples in Korea with which he had close ties, and Hoeamsa was one of them. Notably, in this one space the stupa and stone lantern are arranged together with an offering table and a stele as a single set, in a layout similar to the arrangement of stone furnishings at royal tombs.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Yangju, Gyeonggi

Designation

Provincial Tangible Heritage · 시도유형문화유산