Gukcheongsa Temple Geumjeongsanseong Fortress Seungjangin

Gukcheongsa Temple has existed since the Silla period, although its original name is unknown. Only after the fortress was rebuilt in the 29th year of King Sukjong's reign (1703) was it named Gukcheongsa Temple, to mark its role in guarding the open fortress, and the temple buildings were greatly rebuilt at that time. Mostly monks' quarters were built, such as seungdang (monks' halls) and seondang (meditation halls), and the whole complex came to comprise nearly 100 kan (bays) in scale. The Geumjeongsanseong Fortress Seungjangin, a seal for the monk general, appears to have been made against this background, for the command and administration of the monk soldiers. According to the clause on the Use of Seals in the Rites section of the Gyeongguk daejeon (National Code), all officials used seals of different sizes according to their rank: officials of the rank of chamsanggwan and above used square seals, while lower officials or local functionaries (togwan) used rectangular ones. The monk general's seal likewise follows the practice for togwan and is rectangular. Cast entirely in brass in a single mould together with its handle, the seal bears the seven characters "Geumjeongsanseong Seungjangin" (金井山城僧將印) carved in clerical script (yeseo): the four characters "Geumjeongsanseong" (金井山城) are carved vertically on the left, and the three characters "Seungjangin" (僧將印) on the right, while the character 上 (meaning "top") is incised on the upper face. The brass Geumjeongsanseong Fortress Seungjangin of Gukcheongsa Temple is valuable material evidence of the nature of Gukcheongsa Temple and of its relationship with the monk soldiers of Geumjeongsanseong Fortress.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Geumjeong-gu, Busan

Designation

Cultural Heritage Material · 문화유산자료