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| yna@yna.co.kr 2022-06-15 14:42:05
SEOUL, June 15 (Yonhap) -- The method and overall size of the base of the wooden pagoda in the central area of Mireuksa Temple in Iksan, which was built by King Mu (reigned 600-641) of the Baekje Kingdom, has been confirmed.
Mireuksa Temple was a three-way parallel temple with stone pagodas in each of the east and west sides with a wooden pagoda in the central unit, along with three doors and a building where the main Buddha is enshrined. Today, only the stone pagoda in the western unit remains, and was revealed that the wooden pagoda was built before the stone pagoda.
The Buyeo National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage announced on Wednesday that it found out that the base was made by piling up soil and stones where the ground has been evenly minced after excavating at the site of the wooden pagoda at Mireuksaji Temple.
According to the results of the investigation, the foundation was firmly established by placing crushed stones and soil on the ground for the water to drain well. Then, 5-6 tiers on the outside of the base end and on the inside, a 2-tier stonework was piled up together with the minced soil. On the inside of the stonework, soil with different properties was crossed and compacted like rice cakes.
In addition, it was found that the outer part of the base was built with soil inclined, and is highly likely that the northern part of the base was built again in the future.
"We found traces of excavation at the base of the upper and lower floors, and based on this, we were able to estimate the size of the wooden pagoda's floor plan," the investigation team explained. "The exact number will be disclosed after further research."
"The western stone pagoda was made by digging a well-chopped site, but for the wooden pagoda, the foundation work had already been done before the site was built," he added. "It seems that the eastern and western stone pagodas and the buildings have been placed centering the wooden pagoda."
While the wooden pagoda site of Mireuksa Temple was also investigated in 1981 and 1994, at that time only the central part was investigated, which is why the exact construction technique and scale was not able to be grasped.
"The purpose of this investigation was to secure basic data for the maintenance and restoration of Mireuksa Temple Site," an official from the Buyeo National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage said. "We will promote various research for the historical examination of Mireuksa Temple."
The digital restoration of Mireuksa Temple and Hwangnyongsa in Gyeongju is one of the government tasks of the Yoon Suk-yeol government.
(This article is translated from Korean to English by Haemin Kim.)
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