• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.238-259
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• 2021

Gameunsa Temple is a Buddhist temple from the mid-Silla period. Construction began during the reign of King Munmu and was completed during the second year of King Sinmun's reign (682). This study is based on the results of excavations at the Gameunsa Temple site, exploring the findings presented in the literature in the field of history. This study also investigates the characteristics of the construction plan of Gameunsa Temple and its correlation with the political, social, and religious environment of the time. The results of the study are as follows: (1) First, it is confirmed that all of the buildings in the central block of Gameunsa Temple, such as the pagoda and corridor, the central gate, and the auditorium, fit within 216 cheoks by 216 cheoks (Goguryeo unit of measurement, estimated dimensions 353.30 mm), in terms of the base structure. This fact is highly significant considering the intent of the King in the mid-Silla period to advocate Confucian political ideals at the Donghaegu sites (Daewangam, Igyeondae Pavilion, and Gameunsa Temple), as confirmed by the relationship between the 'Manpasikjeok legend' and the Confucianism of the etiquette and the music; the relationship between the name of the 'Igyeondae Pavilion' and the 'I Ching'; and the relationship between the 'Taegeuk stones excavated from the Gameunsa Temple site' and the 'I Ching.' Additionally, it may be presumed that the number in the "Qian 216" on the Xici shang of 'I Ching' was used as a basis for determining the size of the central block in the early stages of the design of Gameunsa Temple. The layout of the halls and pagodas of Gameunsa Temple was planned to be within a 216-cheok-by-216-cheok area, from the edge to the center, i.e., on the central axis of the temple, in the following order: the central gate and auditorium, the north-south position of Geumdang Hall, the south corridor, the east-west buildings of the auditorium and the winged corridor, the east-west corridor, and the central position of the east-west stone pagoda. (2) Second, the coexistence of Confucianism and Buddhism in the architecture of Gameunsa Temple is based on the understanding of the Golden Light Sutra, originating from the aspirations of King Munmu to obtain the immeasurable merits (陰陽調和時不越序 日月星宿不失常度 風雨隨時無諸災横) and the light of the Buddha, which is metaphorically represented by the sun and the moon illuminating the whole world of Silla, a new nation with a Confucian political ideology, for a long time by "circumambulating the Buddha (旋繞)". It is also presumed that Gyeongheung, who was appointed by King Munmu to be the Guksa in his will and appointed as the Gukro after the enthronement of King Sinmun, was deeply involved in the conception and realization of the syncretism of Confucianism and Buddhism.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.33
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• pp.136-161
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• 2000

This paper is a study on the design of the gilt-bronze sarira caskets discovered in 1959 and 1996, from a east and a west three-story stone pagodas in Gameunsa Temple site which was built in 682. One of the most interesting discoveries is the ceiling with Bokdu(覆斗) design which can be seen in Dun-Huang grotto of China, reflected upon the ceiling structure of the cover (outer casket) and the square box (inner casket). The structure of these sarira caskets, as art crafts, directly represents architectural structure of Dun-Huang grotto that was made during the early T'ang period of China. Moreover, the sarira caskets are decorated with ornate designs and these designs also can be seen on the murals of Dun-Huang grotto. Accordingly, those sarira caskets tell us creative ability and international taste of Silla's craftsmen. By tracing the origin of structure and design pattern of the sarira caskets to Central Asian and Chinese architectures, it is able to understand international style of the sarira caskets of Gameunsa Temple site.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.325-337
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• 2007

The effect of seawater and air pollutants on the three-story stone pagodas on Gameunsa Temple Site have been studied in order to establish conservation basic plan. Also, an experimental study has been conducted to evaluate the effect of seawater salt and air pollutants on the weathering of granite. The results could be summarized as follows. Because the three-story stone pagodas on Gameunsa Temple Site are located outdoors, the external appearance has been largely deteriorated due to natural and artificial factors such as typhoon, wind, microorganisms, moisture, extreme change in temperature, air pollutants, and seawater, etc. When G.J fresh granite was dipped into the seawater, dissolution rate of three minerals (Mg, Ca, and K) are increased linearly until about 40 days and then increased abruptly. After seawater dipping experiments, the mineral compositions of the granite surface were lower then that of the G.J fresh granite but Poisson's ratio and absorption ratio were slightly increased. Therefore, from these results we can say that stone cultural properties could be weathered by seawater and air pollutants and it's considered being a meaningful experiment to study the conservation method of stone cultural properties from seawater.

• Journal of architectural history
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.137-152
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• 2007

The purpose of this article is making investigation of the principal composition of the twin-pagodas in Buddhist temple through ornaments of a case preserving relics of Buddha in the east and west pagodas of Gameunsa temple. This research has an important meaning in clarifying that the concept of placement two Buddhas together with lotus sutra, which was only applied to Bulkuksa temple, has been extended to Gameunsa temple. And this observation gave us a clear explanation for the principal composition at the twin-pagodas in Buddhist temple plans. The author obtained the following conclusion from this article : The cases preserving relics of the Buddha for the west and east pagodas are globally in similar form as the type of a royal palace. But the different points between eastern and western can be seen on the existence of Buddhist statues on the base floor, set-up of the gate at railings, and 4 lion statues at a coner of the base floor. In the western pagoda, there are Buddha statues above the base-floor of the cases preserving relics. These Buddha statues are composed of a boy monks and angels with playing music for the praise of the Sakyamuni Buddha lecturing the Lotus sutra at YoungChui Mountain. On the other hand, in the eastern pagoda, Buddha statues on the cases preserving relics are composed of a the Four Devas and monks as a defending God of the nation of Buddha. In the eastern pagoda, one can see something that does not exist in the western pagoda, which is a gate located in railing of a case preserving the relics. This gate described the scene of the Sakyamuni Buddha entering into the pagoda of 7 treasures. In a corner of the case preserving relics in the eastern pagoda, there is another thing which does not exist in the western pagoda. This is a sculpture of a lion which symbols the seat of Lion supporting the Buddha in the Dabotap(the pagoda of 7 treasures). When we observe the form and structure, the descriptions at the railings, the gate, the shrine, the statue of a lion, and the accessories in jewelries, at the cases preserving the relics in the eastern pagoda, one can realize that they have the same combination structures between the ones at Dabotaps in Bulguksa temple and those in China as well as in Japan, all of which represent the Gyun-Bo-Tap-Pum of Lotus Sutra. Among the distribution rules in the twin-pagodas in Buddhist temple, the application of the ideal of lotus was known to be effected only to Bulguksa temple. But from the result of the present article, it is more clearly proved by applying the Gameunsa temple that the distribution theory in the twin-pagodas in Buddhist temple was in fact based on the ideal of lotus.

• KOMUNHWA
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• no.19
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• pp.28-44
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• 1981

• Journal of architectural history
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.7-21
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• 2008

Three-story Stone pagodas in Gameunsa Temple site, one of the early staged stone pagodas, has been known as a standard of Silla stone pagodas. A stone pagoda is not only a stone art work and but also a stone architecture. In understanding the stone pagoda it is very important to be approached with technological side in which we can investigate the stone pagoda deeply and as well as to have been approached with art historical view. Also it needs that we should see the stone pagoda in view of structural safety. We can get many high technique from our ancestors who made Gameunsajiseoktap. 1. To reduce any deformation such as relaxation and sinking of members which is caused by a heavy load the members such as the lower tier of the base is made up of the foundation stone and side stone in each, comprising one stone. 2. A special construction method for connection between wall stone and column stone in stereobates was invented. It is to make column stone projected partially and wall stone be caved in that two members should be jointed well. This unique method is not used any longer after the three-story Stone pagodas in Gameunsa Temple Site. 3. In each side upper and lower member are not engaged as the size of roof stones and support stones of roof stones are different. It can be done for a distribution of perpendicular load and a prevention for relaxation of members. 4. It makes sure that to make upper ends of support stones 10mm lower was to be avoid upper loads to it judging from survey in disassemblying east pagoda. It proves that ancestors who made this stone pagoda had a technique to understand the structural matters to make small members as big as possible, not to engage in joint, to avoid in ends of members from upper load.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.238-244
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• 2008

The west stone pagoda of Gameunsa temple site(National Treasure No. 112) has been seriously damaged by surface weathering, and conservation treatment is needed. In the second story body stone, vertical cracks developed parallel to the main compressional axis. The vertical cracks seem to grow much more with the compression. Chemical and biological weathering along the vertical cracks could have enhanced the crack growth. In the third story capstone, the surface cracks strike toward NE and NW directions, which are intersecting each other. In the eastern and southern parts of the third story capstone, lots of vertical cracks develop along the lines from the axial center to outer rim, whereas horizontal cracks are easily observed at the outer rim of the capstone. On the other hand, a few horizontal cracks develop in the western and northern parts of the third story capstone. This fact indicates that the compression along the vertical axis is not uniform in direction. The west stone pagoda leans toward the east and the south, so it is considered that compression by deviatoric stress prevailed at these directions.

• Conservation Science in Museum
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• v.13
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• pp.59-69
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• 2012

The flower type ornament of the gilt bronze palace-type sarira reliquary among those sarira reliquaries of the East Pagoda at the Gameunssa Temple Site, which is the Treasure No. 1359 owned by the National Museum of Korea, was separated from the sarira reliquary in November 2010, thus conducting conservation treatments to be done on two items including the gilt bronze palace-type sarira reliquary during the period of March-October 2011. Those conservation treatments were carried out by following the process of removing the coated areas having excessive gross and bubbles, re-coating with Incralac, and then strengthening both the cracked areas and the separated flower-type ornaments with woven glass fiber after rejoining. For those areas where removal of gloss and bubbles at the coating and adhesive areas was not possible, the gloss and bubbles were made less perceivable through matting treatment and coloring.

• Journal of architectural history
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.35-54
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• 2010

This study aims to examine the development process of the early stone pagodas of Unified Silla. The history of stone pagodas traces back to both Baekje and Silla in the Three Kingdoms period, but the styles and structures of pagodas began differently. In other words, Baekje attempted to recreate the wooden pagoda style, while Silla attempted to recreate China' brick pagoda style. These different stone pagoda cultures, around the unification of Three Kingdoms, underwent new style changes, and after the mid-7th century, some changes in the five-storied stone pagodas in Tapri appeared, and the milestone perfection of Silla's stone pagodas was achieved through those of Gameusa Temple and Goseonsa Temple. After the mid-7th century, Silla's stone pagodas accommodated some of Baekje's wooden pagodas' elements, shifted from the wooden pagoda style and developed into its own stone pagoda style. This is shown in numerous stone pagodas. However, in Silla's stone pagodas, including the three-storied stone pagoda in Hwagboksa Temple in 692, the size of the pagoda became small and underwent sudden changes. In other words, a new direction of Silla stone pagodas was presented in terms of how massive stones could be reduced, but they differed only in the reduced stone amount; the basic developed style of the Gameunsa Temple stone pagoda and the Goseonsa Temple stone pagoda inherited the traditional style. Thus, the construction of these two pagodas is considered to be significant in the Silla's history of stone pagodas.

• 한국문화재보존과학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.09a
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• pp.67-68
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• 2003