Memorial Stele at Gwaneumsa Temple Site, Sangju

Gwaneumsa Temple is said to have been founded by the Seon master Doui. It is thought to have been a large temple complex with numerous affiliated hermitages after being rebuilt in the early seventeenth century, following the Japanese invasions. At some point after 1707 it was destroyed by fire and was never rebuilt, remaining a temple site to this day. The memorial stele at the Gwaneumsa temple site was erected in 1707 (the thirty-third year of King Sukjong), set into a natural rock outcrop cut to a depth of about 12 cm; it has no pedestal or capstone. The stele is an important source for the history of the now-ruined Gwaneumsa Temple, and is distinctive in that, although inscribed on all four faces, its composer, calligrapher and seal-script writer were all monks. Not only was it made under the leadership of monks without the involvement of local officials, but it also records in detail the donations of land connected with the temple's economy, giving it great value as a resource for scholarly research.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Sangju, Gyeongbuk

Designation

Cultural Heritage Material · 문화유산자료