East and West Three-story Stone Pagodas at Sudoam Hermitage of Cheongamsa Temple, Gimcheon

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.297

Category

Sites & Pagodas

Era

통일신라시대

Designated year

1963

Location

김천시, 경상북도— 경북 김천시 증산면 수도길 1438, 청암사 (수도리)

Coordinates

35.861847, 127.996749

These twin pagodas standing side by side to the east and the west of the Daeungjeon Hall, is believed to have been made by Doseon, a Buddhist monk who served as the State Preceptor of Silla (the 3rd year of the reign of King Heonan). Due to the small size of the front year, the pagodas are not far away from the main hall. The east pagoda, standing on a single-story pedestal, has three stories. The side of each pedestal is engraved with a column pattern. What makes this pagoda unique is that its first tier is narrowed to the top. Each side of the first tier is engraved with a seated Bodhisattva inside a rectangular box, while the second and third tiers are engraved with a column pattern on each side. The capstone is thin and broad, while the stone pedestal at the bottom has four steps. The west pagoda is also three-storied, but stands on the two-story pedestal. The second tier of the pagoda is much smaller than the first tier, but the third tier is similar in size with the second tier. A column pattern is engraved on the edge of the main tier with a seated Bodhisattva engraved between them. Compared to the east pagoda, its capstone is thinner and broader. The pedestal has five steps. These twin pagodas have a couple of unique features that are not found in other pagodas: The first tier of the east pagoda is narrowed to the top and the Bodhisattvas are engraved inside a rectangular box, while the west pagoda has a wider capstone and more space underneath the capstone. The carving skills indicate that these pagodas were built in the middle of the Silla period.

Location