Myobeobyeonhwagyeong Gwon4~7(2016)

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.1196-2

Category

Books & Records

Era

1422년(세종4) 경

Designated year

2016

Location

은평구, 서울특별시— 서울특별시 은평구 은평로20나길 5-23 (응암동)

Coordinates

No precise coordinates are available, so this item is not shown as a map marker. To be added later.

This book, Saddharmapundarika Sutra (The Lotus Sutra), was printed in the early fifteenth century from woodblocks carved on the basis of the sutra handwritten by Seong Dal-saeng and his brother Seong Gae, two renowned calligraphers of the period. Its publication was commissioned by Seong Eok (1386-1448) to honor Prince Seongnyeong, who was the fourth son of King Taejong (r. 1400-1418) and became Seong Eok’s son-in-law, only to die an untimely death in 1418 at the tender age of fourteen. Currently stored in Simtaeksa Temple, the book is considered a first edition copy published in 1422, judging by the fact that it has clearly printed text and contains no postscript to the effect that it is not the original edition. Specialists regard the book as a valuable resource for the study of Korean Buddhism and publication in the early Joseon period, and recommend that it be included in the national cultural heritage and protected by law.