- Designation: National Treasure No. 37
- Period: Unified Silla Period
- Location: 103, Guhwang-dong, Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do
It is the Three-story Stone Pagoda at Hwangboksa Temple Site, Gyeongju. The height of the tower is 7.3 m. Three-story pagoda body stands on the two-story base. The body and roofstone are each made of one stone. Compared to the stone pagoda built in the early Unified Silla period, the size became smaller, and the shape became simpler. The overall proportion of the components and sculpture technique is excellent.
Hwangboksa Temple site is located at the northern end of Nangsan(狼山) that the Silla people sacred. King Hyoso of the Unified Silla built this pagoda in 692 to pray for the repose of his deceased father’s soul. With the dismantling and reconstruction of this pagoda in 1943, numerous artifact were discovered in the second story roof stone, including gilt-bronze reliquaries and two gold Buddhist statues. The composition history of this pagoda is recorded on the inside of the lids of the reliquaries.
Three-story Stone Pagoda at Hwangboksa Temple Site. It shows well the stereotype of the three-story stone pagoda of the Unified Silla. The size of the stone pagoda became smaller, and the shape became simpler.
The base has two stories. The lower story is lower, the upper story is higher. Columns are carved on the corners and sides of the base.
There are no special decorations other than a carved column on the corners.
The body and roofstone are each made of one stone. The roofstone is horizontal but its four corners are slightly raised.The roof supports consist of five layers.
View from the south.
Two gold Buddhist statues. The standing gold stautue (national treasure No. 80) is 14 cm tall. The seated gold statue (National treasure No. 79) is 12.2 cm tall.
The lid of the reliquaries excavated from the pagoda. The composition history of this pagoda is recorded.
The reliquaries excavated from the pagoda.
The reliquaries and artifact.
Beads.
Gilt-bronze mounted vessel.
This 7.3m-tall pagoda stands on a double-tiered grond stone. It is representative of the stone pagodas constructed during the Unified Silla period. During the repair work in 1943, an image of seated gold Buddha, an image of standing gold Buddha, and a gilt-bronze reliquary were found. According to inscription inside the reliquary, the pagoda was built by Silla King Hyoso in 692 to pray for the repose of his father, King Sinmun. The seated gold Buddha image is 12.2 cm tall. It was designated as a national treasure No. 79. The standing gold Buddha image is 14 cm tall. It was designated as a national treasure No. 80. At present, these two images are housed in the National Central Museum. (Cultural Heritage Administration, 2011)
References.
- Cultural Heritage Administration, 2017