Gyeongcheonsa Pagoda () is National Treasure of Korea No. 86. It was designated by the South Korean government on December 20, 1962.

History

An inscription on the first story of the

pagoda A pagoda is a tiered tower with multiple eaves common to Thailand, Cambodia, Nepal, India, China, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Vietnam, and other parts of Asia. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most often Buddhist, but some ...

states that it was erected in the fourth year of King Chungmok in 1348. The pagoda was first placed at the now-lost Gyeongcheonsa Temple which sat at the foot of Mt. Buso in Gwangdeok-myeon, Gaepung-gun,

Gyeonggi-do Gyeonggi Province (, ) is the most populous administrative divisions of South Korea, province in South Korea. Seoul, the nation's largest city and capital, is in the heart of the area but has been separately administered as a list of provinc ...

Province. About 120 years after the pagoda was built, the Joseon royal court made another similar stone pagoda, which was erected at Wongaksa Temple.

Removal to Japan

In 1907, during the

Japanese occupation of Korea From 1910 to 1945, Korea was ruled by the Empire of Japan under the name Chōsen (), the Japanese reading of "Joseon". Japan first took Korea into its sphere of influence during the late 1800s. Both Korea (Joseon) and Japan had been under polic ...

, the pagoda was smuggled into Japan by Mitsuaki Tanaka, Japan's minister of Imperial Household Affairs. Two western journalists, Ernest T. Bethell from England and

Homer Hulbert Homer Bezaleel Hulbert (January 26, 1863 – August 5, 1949) was an American missionary, journalist, linguist, and Korean independence activist. Hulbert went by a variety of names in Korea, including Hŏ Halbo (), Hŏ Hŭlpŏp (), and Halbo ( ...

from America, launched an international press campaign denouncing the theft. In 1918, the pagoda was returned and placed on the grounds of

Gyeongbokgung Gyeongbokgung () is a former royal palace in Seoul, South Korea. Established in 1395, it was the first royal palace of the Joseon dynasty, and is now one of the most significant tourist attractions in the country. The palace was among the first ...

Palace. Today, the pagoda stands in one of the main halls of the

National Museum of Korea The National Museum of Korea () is the flagship museum of Korean history and Korean art, art in South Korea. Since its establishment in 1945, the museum has been committed to various studies and research activities in the fields of archaeology ...

Features

The pagoda stands 13.5 m in height and is ten storeys tall. However, because of the three-tiered foundation, it is a common mistake to believe that the pagoda has thirteen storeys. Unlike most

Goryeo Goryeo (; ) was a Korean state founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korea, Korean Peninsula until the establishment of Joseon in 1392. Goryeo achieved what has b ...

-era pagodas, this pagoda is made from marble. The preferred material of Korean sculptors was generally granite. The later

Joseon Joseon ( ; ; also romanized as ''Chosun''), officially Great Joseon (), was a dynastic kingdom of Korea that existed for 505 years. It was founded by Taejo of Joseon in July 1392 and replaced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. The kingdom w ...

-era

Wongaksa Pagoda Wongaksa Pagoda () is a 12 meter tall, ten story marble pagoda located in Tapgol Park, Seoul, South Korea. It was made a National Treasure of South Korea in 1962. Description It was constructed in 1467, during the early Joseon period, at t ...

is stylistically very similar and is believed to have been heavily influenced by the Gyeongcheonsa Pagoda. Gyeongcheonsa Pagoda sits on a three-tiered foundation which projects in four directions like a cross. The first three storeys of the pagoda share the same shape as the foundation. Each panel of this tiered foundation is carved with Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, flowers, and arabesque patterns. The remaining storeys are square in shape and share intricate detailing which tries to create the illusion that the marble pagoda is made from wood. Each remaining storey has railings, a hip-and-gabled roof, eaves, and carvings made to suggest that each roof is tiled. This pagoda reflects the influence of the

wooden architectural style. According to the South Korean

Cultural Heritage Administration The Korea Heritage Service (), formerly the Cultural Heritage Administration and Cultural Properties Administration, is the agency of the South Korean government charged with preserving and promoting Korean cultural heritage. It is headquartere ...

, this pagoda is one of the finest examples of Korean stone work and is of high artistic value.

Gallery

File:개성 경천사지 십층석탑 04.jpg

References

External links