Master Muhak Historic Remains, Hapcheon

Excavations in the area of Mountain Lot 2, Daeji-ri, Daebyeong-myeon, Hapcheon-gun, confirmed remains including the sites of sixteen buildings, a retaining wall and drainage channel, and the supporting posts for a gwaebul (a huge Buddhist painting hung outdoors for great ceremonies). The excavated roof tiles and ceramics suggest the site was most likely built in the 12th century and used until the 18th, and confirm that it functioned as an actual temple from the early to late 17th century. The excavation showed that the buildings had been repaired and rebuilt on several occasions, and the temple is judged to have operated from the early Goryeo period to the late Joseon period. Given this long period of operation, a search of various geographical gazetteers, taking account of distance and direction, points to Boamsa Temple or Sanasa Temple as the most likely candidates for the temple once standing at the Daeji-ri ruin. Of these, Boamsa can be set aside, as it had already fallen into ruin by the mid-18th century, when the Yeojido Seo (Gazetteer with Maps) was compiled. Sanasa, on the other hand, is located at the foot of Woryeosan Mountain, and the Yeojido Seo, the Buddhist Temples section of the Samga-hyeon Eupji (Town Gazetteer of Samga County), and the Gyonamji (Gazetteer of Gyeongsang Province) all record "Sanasa Temple, fifty ri north of the county seat, also called Budosa," showing that its Dharma lamp remained lit until the end of the Joseon period. As its direction and distance also match, the Daeji-ri ruin can tentatively be identified as Sanasa. However, the Temples section of the Yeoji Jipseong (Compiled Gazetteer) and the Samga-hyeon Eupji record "Sanasa, on Hwangmaesan Mountain, founded by Muhak," stating that the temple was founded by Master Muhak. Together with the "Muhakdang" marker stone, this corroborates that the Daeji-ri ruin is connected with Master Muhak, and it lends further credibility to the identification, confirmed through surface survey, of Daeji-ri village as his birthplace. Through this excavation evidence, the records found in various geographical gazetteers, and epigraphic sources such as the Myoam Jonja Tapmyeong (Stupa Inscription of the Venerable Myoam) by Byeon Gye-ryang (pen name Chunjeong), it has been clearly established that Master Muhak, royal preceptor to Yi Seong-gye, King Taejo of Joseon, was a native of Samga-hyeon County. This site, presumed to be connected with Master Muhak, has accordingly been named and designated the Historic Remains of Master Muhak for preservation.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Hapcheon, Gyeongnam

Designation

Provincial Monument · 시도기념물