Stupa of Buddhist Monk Daegyeong from Borisa Temple Site, Yangpyeong (Presumed)

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.351

Category

Sites & Pagodas

Era

고려시대

Designated year

1963

Location

서대문구, 서울특별시— 서울 서대문구 대현동 산11-1번지 이화여자대학교

Coordinates

37.562919, 126.948715

This stupa was built for Daegyeong, a prominent Buddhist monk of the late Unified Silla and early Goryeo Dynasties. Daegyeong was born in the second year of the reign of King Gyeongmun (862) of the Unified Silla and became a monk when he was nine years old. He preferred meditation in Zen Buddhism to studying doctrine, so he practiced asceticism under Buddhist Monk Muyeom in Seongjusa Temple. After several years of study and devotion to Buddhism in China, he returned in the 13th year of the reign of King Hyogong (909). While staying in Sobaeksan Mountain, he was appointed chief monk of Borisa Temple by King Taejo of Goryeo. He entered Nirvana in the 12th year of King Taejo (929) when he was 68 years old. He was given the posthumous name Daegyeong with the name of stupa ‘Hyeongi’ by King Taejo. While it was moving from Borisa Temple site in Yangpyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do to Seoul in 1913, the base stone went missing, so it now stands on a new base stone. It is a typical octagonal stupa, with the main stone laid on the stylobate and covered by a capstone. The octagonal shaped bottom stone of the stylobate consists of several tiers. A lion statue and cloud and lotus patterns are engraved in the bottom stone. An imaginary creature with the head of human being and the body of a bird is engraved conspicuously on the side of the middle stone of the stylobate divided by cloud. The upper stylobate is larger than the stones below and has three tiers on it. Door patterns are engraved on the front and back of the main stone of the stupa with images of the Four Guardian Kings on either side. Bodhisattvas are engraved on the rest of the side. Images of flying deities and flower patterns are engraved in turn on the bottom of the capstone. Each inclined plane of the capstone is dented. At the top of the stupa, only a lotus flower bud ornament remains. Overall, the well-arranged structure has an elegant and well balanced appearance. Since the Stele for Buddhist Monk Daegyeong, found at the same site as the stupa, was built in the 22nd year of the reign of King Taejo (939) of Goryeo, this stupa is supposed to have been built in that period.

Location