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| yna@yna.co.kr 2025-01-09 09:40:07
SEOUL, Jan. 9 (Yonhap) -- The Gongju Magoksa Five-story Stone Pagoda, famed for its distinctive "pagoda on top of a pagoda" structure, has been designated as a National Treasure.
The Cultural Heritage Administration announced the designation on January 9, marking the pagoda's elevation to National Treasure status 41 years after being classified as a Treasure in 1984.
Magoksa Temple, part of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed "Sansa, Buddhist Mountain Monasteries in Korea," is also the head temple of the Jogye Order’s sixth district. The pagoda, situated prominently in the temple courtyard, is believed to have been constructed in the late Goryeo period.
The structure features a two-tiered base supporting a five-story body, topped with a 1.8-meter gilt-bronze miniature pagoda called Pungmadong. Its unique appearance, resembling one pagoda stacked upon another, is considered a rare architectural style. The Pungmadong reflects influences from Yuan Dynasty China and is praised for its intricate craftsmanship and exceptional artistic and technical refinement.
A Cultural Heritage Administration official noted, "This is the only example of its kind among Korea’s stone pagodas, illustrating the international exchange of Buddhist culture at the time and possessing immense cultural significance."
Though no precise historical records about its construction exist, the pagoda exhibits the Baekje-inspired stone pagoda style prevalent in the Chungcheong and Honam regions during the late Goryeo period. Based on the carving techniques and patterns, it is estimated to have been built in the 14th century.
The pagoda holds considerable academic and artistic value. The base stones beneath the pagoda, designed to enhance load-bearing capacity, feature a "crab-eye curve" pattern (Haemokhyeong Ansang)—the first such example discovered among existing stone pagodas.
Despite significant losses of its internal treasures during the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598), restoration efforts in 1972 uncovered artifacts such as an incense burner and door fittings inside the pagoda. These findings add further historical and cultural importance to this extraordinary monument.
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