Central Three-story Stone Pagoda at Seongjusa Temple Site, Boryeong

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.20

Category

Sites & Pagodas

Era

통일신라시대

Designated year

1963

Location

보령시, 충청남도— 충남 보령시 성주면 성주리 73번지

Coordinates

36.344636, 126.656036

This is the central pagoda of the group of three pagodas standing side by side behind what is conjectured to be the site of the main Buddhist hall of Seongjusa Temple. Seongjusa Temple was named by King Munseong of the Unified Silla Period when Nanghye, the temple’s head monk, returned from Tang of China and made the temple prosperous. According to Samguk sagi (History of the Three Kingdoms), Seongjusa Temple was originally named Ohapsa Temple, and was built in the era of King Beop of the Baekje Dynasty. However, it was burnt down during the Japanese Invasion of 1592 and only the site remains. Like the other two pagodas, it has a two-story platform and a three-story body stone. Pole-patterns are engraved on all four sides and on the corners of each story of the platform. A flat stone is inserted between the platform and the one-story main stone. Both the main and roof stones of the body are made of one piece of stone. The supporting stone of the roof is four-stepped. The first story of the main stone appears much larger than the second and third stories. One of the corners has been chipped off. The south face of the pagoda is carved with a door, the middle of which is carved with the image of a lock, while below the lock there is a pair of ring-shaped door fasteners engraved in the shape of an animal. Nail-head-shaped carvings are engraved on the other parts of the door. The roof stone seems wider than the body stone, and the edges of its four corners are lightly raised up. A four-stepped frame is carved on the contacted part of the lower stone supporting the upper stone. Elements of the style, such as the insertion of a stone between the platform and the main stone, or the four-stepped supporting stone of the roof, date back to late Unified Silla. This particular pagoda is rather splendid and light compared with the other pagodas at this temple site but, unfortunately, it is also the most damaged of the group.

Location