▲ This photo provided by the Korea Heritage Service (KHS) shows two volumes “Yeonhaeng Eumcheong” volumes “Geon” and “Gon” from first draft manuscripts of “Yeolha Ilgi” by Joseon period scholar Park Ji-won. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

SEOUL, Feb. 26 (Yonhap) -- 

The first draft of “Yeolha Ilgi,” written by late Joseon scholar Park Ji-won after his trip to Qing China, has been designated a state treasure.

 

The Korea Heritage Service (KHS) said on Thursday that it has designated seven cultural heritage items as treasures, including a collection of the early manuscript of “Yeolha Ilgi” housed at Dankook University’s Seok Juseon Memorial Museum.

 

Park traveled in 1780 to attend a banquet celebrating the 70th birthday of the Qianlong Emperor and later documented his experiences in a diary-style account. The book details advanced Qing culture and his exchanges with contemporary Chinese literati.

 

The newly designated materials comprise four types in eight volumes and are considered the earliest handwritten manuscripts prepared by Park after his return to Joseon.

 

 

▲ This photo provided by the Korea Heritage Service (KHS) shows three volumes “Won,” “Hyeong,” “I,” and “Jeong” from first draft manuscripts of “Yeolha Ilgi” by Joseon period scholar Park Ji-won. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

Among them, two volumes, titled “Yeonhaeng Eumcheong,” contain Western learning-related terms and additional content not found in the finalized version of “Yeolha Ilgi,” drawing particular attention.

 

The manuscripts offer insight into the process through which one of the representative works of late Joseon Silhak thought was completed.

 

The agency said the drafts are valuable for understanding the original form of the text and the revisions made by Park and his descendants.

 

Other newly designated treasures include an Amitabha Buddha painting at Hyeondeungsa Temple in Gapyeong, a seated stone Vairocana Buddha statue at the Jin’gusa temple site in Imsil, and a seated stone Shakyamuni triad and enshrined relics at Sinheungsa Temple in Yangsan.

 

 

▲ This photo provided by the Korea Heritage Service (KHS) shows the Amitabha Buddha Preaching Painting at Hyeondeungsa Temple in Gapyeong. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

▲ This photo provided by the Korea Heritage Service (KHS) shows the Seated Stone Vairocana Buddha at the Jingusa Temple Site in Imsil. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

The Hyeondeungsa painting, created in 1759, depicts Amitabha preaching in paradise to attendant bodhisattvas and is the earliest known example of its kind in the Seoul-Gyeonggi region.

 

The stone Buddha statue at the Jin’gusa site is believed to date to the late ninth century and is regarded as a rare example in the Jeolla region, illustrating the spread of late Unified Silla Buddhist art.

 

The Sinheungsa statue, completed and enshrined in 1682, contains various relics placed inside the sculpture, offering important material for understanding enshrinement rituals of the late 17th century.

 

 

▲ This photo provided by the Korea Heritage Service (KHS) shows the Stone Seated Shakyamuni Buddha Triad and enshrined relics at Sinheungsa Temple in Yangsan. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

The agency also designated three late Joseon temple pavilions — “Chimgyellu” at Songgwangsa Temple in Suncheon, “Deokhwilu” at Bongjeongsa Temple in Andong and “Cheonboru” at Yongjusa Temple in Hwaseong — as treasures.

 

Temple pavilions in the Joseon era were typically located in front of the main Buddha hall and used for Buddhist services and sermons. Of the existing temple pavilions nationwide, seven have now been designated as treasures.

 

 

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