Haeinsa Wondangam Mokjoamitayeoraesamjonsang Bokjangjeonjeok-daebanggwangbulhwaeomgyeong Jeongwonbon, Hapcheon

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.2074

Category

Books & Records

Era

고려 13세기 중엽 판각, 조선 14세기 말∼15세기 초 인출

Designated year

2020

Location

합천군, 경상남도— 경상남도 합천군 해인사길 122 (가야면, 사찰)

Coordinates

35.801200, 128.102200Museum-based location

The Avatamsaka Sutra, Zhenyuan Version consists of five folding copies in five parts (designated as Treasure No. 2074) of the edition translated by the Buddhist monk Sanzangbanruo of the Tang Dynasty of China among the 29 volumes in 29 albums of the Mahavajpulya-BuddhaAvatamska Sutra found inside the Wooden Amitabha Buddha Triad kept at Wondangam Hermitage, Haeinsa Temple in Hapcheon. The Zheuyuan Version, which exists in two forms (i.e. with a dark navy blue cover or a yellow cover), is based on the Avatamsaka Sutra made in the mid-thirteenth century by using the printing woodblocks of Goryeo kept at Haeinsa Temple (National Treasure No. 206) as the source text. The entire content was printed completely and has been preserved well. The way in which the Avatamsaka Sutra, Zhenyuan Version is written and the copies are bound indicates that it was printed sometime between the fourteenth and fifteenth century. Judging from the worn-out characters in the main text, the one with a dark navy blue cover appears to have been printed earlier than that with a yellow cover. As such, the Avatamsaka Sutra, Zhenyuan Version is a valuable material from the historic and cultural perspectives as it reveals many things about the philosophical ideas of the monks at Haeinsa Temple in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, and the status of publishing and printing in Korea at that time, as well as providing a wealth of information with which we can check the status of the scriptures included in the printing woodblocks of Goryeo (Treasure No. 206). The Zhenyuan version of the Avatamsaka Sutra is considered worthy of designation as a Treasure for a number of reasons, including its historic and academic value, which is comparable with that of the original copies of the Mahavajpulya-Buddha Avatamska Sutra (Treasure No. 2073), the fact that it was discovered inside a Buddha statue and that many parts have been preserved together in good condition, and because few artifacts of its kind have been designated as ‘Treasures’.

Location