Jangmyeong Stone Lantern

Standing in the eastern part of the plaza in front of Suncheon City Hall, this is an octagonal stone lantern of which only the three-tiered pedestal and the roof stone survive; the hwasaseok, the stone firebox that once held the light, has been lost. The pedestal consists of a lower stone carved with a lotus design, an elongated octagonal central pillar, and an upper stone likewise carved with a lotus pattern. Where the firebox once stood, the roof stone now rests directly on the pedestal; its eight ridge lines on the upper surface are distinct, and its gentle slope traces a soft roofline. A bud-shaped finial remains at the very top. It is regrettable that the lantern's overall size and complete original form can no longer be known, and judging only from what survives, the central pillar of the pedestal is too thin and elongated to give a sense of stability. A "jangmyeong" stone lantern is a type that, from the Joseon period onward, was mainly erected in front of tombs, but to judge from its appearance this particular lantern seems to have been used at a Buddhist temple. Its date of construction, too, is presumed not to reach as late as the Joseon period, but rather to fall around the late Goryeo period.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Suncheon, Jeonnam & Gwangju

Designation

Cultural Heritage Material · 문화유산자료