Octagonal Multi-story Stone Pagoda of Myojeoksa Temple, Namyangju

This is an octagonal multi-storey stone pagoda, a rare form in Korea, standing in front of the Daeungjeon Hall of Myojeoksa Temple. The base stone forming the foundation is made of two slabs and is octagonal in shape. On top of it sits a lower platform made of two stones; the lower part of its sides is carved with an elephant-leg (sanggak) pattern, while the upper part is divided into rectangular panels on each face, each carved with two sets of an ansang, a niche-shaped motif resembling an eye. The upper platform is arranged, from bottom to top, as a lower tier (hadae), a middle stone (jungdaeseok) and an upper tier (sangdae). The lower tier is decorated, in sequence, with the elephant-leg pattern, the ansang motif and a bogyeon (downward-facing lotus petal) pattern. The middle stone has carved double corner pillars in the form of round columns, with the ansang motif shown on its eight faces. The upper tier bears an angyeon (upward-facing lotus petal) pattern, above which each face is divided into two rectangular panels, each carved with an ansang. On the octagonal pagoda body, corner pillars are carved at the edge of each face, and each face is divided into rectangular panels. The roof stone, which covers the top of a pagoda or stone lantern like a roof, is made of a single stone; its supporting eaves consist of three tiers, carved right down to the bracket capitals of wooden architecture. The eaves curve upward at each corner, and small holes remain at the tips where wind chimes were once hung. On the upper surface of the roof stone of each storey, a two-tiered support for the pagoda body above is carved. The finial is hemispherical, decorated around its circumference with triangular geometric patterns in relief.

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Where it is

Region

Namyangju, Gyeonggi

Designation

Provincial Tangible Heritage · 시도유형문화유산