Munsusa Geungnakbojeon Hall, Seosan

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.2259

Category

Architecture

Era

조선시대

Designated year

2024

Location

서산시, 충청남도— 충청남도 서산시 문수골길 201 (운산면, 문수사)

Coordinates

36.778911, 126.589761Kakao address conversion

This English description was machine-translated and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the original Korean text for details.

The Geukrakbojeon (Hall of Ultimate Bliss) of Munsuса Buddhist Temple in Seosan is a 3-bay front, 3-bay side rectangular Buddhist hall with a gable roof supported by multiple-bracket style framework. Through inscribed records discovered during a 1973 cultural heritage excavation survey, the gilt-bronze seated Buddha statue housed within the temple was confirmed to have been created in 1346 during the reign of King Chungmok of Goryeo, establishing that Munsuса itself existed at least from the late Goryeo period. Documentary records from the 1619 publication of Hoseollok indicate that the temple experienced a major fire, with only one building surviving. The main construction period of the Geukrakbojeon cannot be precisely determined from available documentation, but dendrochronological analysis and radiocarbon dating of primary structural components indicate reconstruction occurred in the 1630s. Additional evidence of repairs is provided by inscriptions dated to 1728 and 1751. The structural characteristics reveal a traditional pre-mid-Joseon floor plan with a central altar platform and back wall; architectural features such as corner extension techniques and rafter joinery methods were applied. The interior preserves 17th-century decorative painted patterns and pigmentation on major structural members including crossbeams and primary beams, while later alterations from the 18th and 19th centuries are visible in ceiling panels and lower beam structures. This layered evidence of 17th-century construction techniques and subsequent alteration periods provides both architectural and scholarly value, making the Seosan Munsuса Geukrakbojeon a highly significant treasure.

Location