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A draft drawing of Jogye Temple's octagonal 10-story stone pagoda. It will replace the seven-story one now found at the temple. The pagoda is expected to be completed in June. / Courtesy of Jogye Temple |
By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter
The seven-story pagoda standing in front of the Jogye Temple of the Jogye Order, the nation's biggest Buddhism order, will be replaced by a traditional octagonal 10-story stone pagoda.
``The original seven-story pagoda, which was built in 1930 under Japanese colonial rule, does not represent the pagoda styles of the Silla or Goryeo Kingdoms. Many experts throughout the years had pointed out that it was more Japanese. We are planning to replace it in line with its 100th anniversary,'' a spokesperson from the temple explained.
The pagoda was also criticized for being small compared to the grand main temple, which is 6.5 meters high and 2.5 meters wide. The new pagoda will stand 15.6 meters tall and 6.6 meters wide.
The new pagoda will have the ``palbu shinjang,'' the eight gods that protect and represent the Buddhist faith, carved on the eight sides, while the first body of the pagoda will be decorated with a relief of eight Buddha sculptures.
The ``sangnyunbu'' (finial) of the new pagoda will be plated with gold and the ``jinsin sari,'' the remains of Buddha placed inside the original pagoda, will be moved into the new one. This particular sari was given by a monk from Sri Lanka in 1914 to Gakhwang Temple and later enshrined at the Jogye Temple pagoda.
The pagoda will be made in Daegu with the finest granite from Gyeongju and will be completed this coming June.
Jogye Temple said that the names of donors will be engraved into a small bronze Buddhist statue and placed in the new pagoda. Spokespeople added they had collected approximately 600 million won, almost half of the cost of replacement.
sanghee@koreatimes.co.kr |
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