Yeongam Jukjeongnigukjangseung

This jangseung, or guardian post, stands in a wood about 1 km north of Gurim-ri on the way to Dogapsa Temple. Because the spot is said to lie on the old road leading to the temple, the post is thought to have marked the boundary of the temple's domain. It is a natural stone measuring 115–125 cm in height, 67–70 cm in width and 36–42 cm in thickness. Although called a jangseung, it does not take the usual form of a carved human or guardian-deity figure; instead, the front of the natural stone is framed by two carved lines, within which the characters for "gukjangsaeng" are carved in large script, giving it the appearance of a stone stele. The upper left corner is broken off at an angle, and characters of uncertain meaning appear at the lower left and right of the post. The exact date it was erected is unknown, but since "jangsaeng", the second element of "gukjangsaeng", is a term recorded as having been used from the Unified Silla through the Goryeo period, this is considered one of the earliest surviving examples of a jangseung in Korea. It invites comparison with the gukjangsaeng of Tongdosa Temple in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, which is designated as a treasure, and together with the hwangjangsaeng of nearby Dogapsa Temple, it provides valuable material for the study of jangseung in Korea.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Yeongam, Jeonnam & Gwangju

Designation

Provincial Folklore Heritage · 시도민속문화유산