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Record of the Nine-story Wooden Pagoda from Hwangnyongsa Temple Site, Gyeongju

경주 황룡사 구층목탑 금동찰주본기 ( 慶州 皇龍寺 九層木塔 金銅刹柱本記 )

Heritage Search Detail
Classification Treasure
Name of Cultural Properties Record of the Nine-story Wooden Pagoda from Hwangnyongsa Temple Site, Gyeongju
Quantity 1 item
Designated Date 2015.04.22
Age Silla
Address (Gyeongju National Museum, Inwang-dong) 186, Iljeong-ro, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do

These gilt-bronze plaques are engraved with a detailed record of the pagoda’s construction and renovation in 872, which was carried out at the command of King Gyeongmun (861-875) of Unified Silla. The record was composed by Bak Geo-mul, handwritten by Yo Geuk-il, and engraved by a Buddhist monk named Chonghye and an assistant engraver named Yeonjeon. The inscription is widely regarded as an important source of information because it was made at the time of the pagoda’s renovation and hence could yield fruitful results when compared with later records in Samguk sagi (History of the Three Kingdoms) and Samguk yusa (Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms). The text is engraved on both sides of the plaques in a script that was popular in the ninth century, and constitutes a valuable source of information on the calligraphic style and the practice of making “pagoda records” during that period.