Unjusa Seokjobulgam, Hwasun

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.797

Category

Other

Era

미상

Designated year

1984

Location

화순군, 전라남도— 전남 화순군 도암면 천태로 91-44 (대초리) / (지번)전남 화순군 도암면 용강리 941-32

Coordinates

34.924778, 126.879950

A bulgam is a room or a house, smaller than other temple buildings, made to enshrine the Buddha statue. The Shrine of Stone Buddha in Unjusa Temple is a distinctive example of a bulgam which was built outdoors. It is located in a valley named Datapbong, which means “the peak of many stone pagodas”. As the name suggests, one can see a great many Buddha statues and pagodas on the way to the peak. Two walls to the north and the south of the shrine, in a rectangular shape, are filled with longish stone slabs which allow the air to pass through in an east and west direction. On the top of the walls, leveled out stones are layered as if to form what would be a hip and gable roof in a wooden construction. Two Buddha statues are placed within the shrine, in the unusual position of sitting back to back. The decoration method applied to the statues is not so refined, but reflects local traits that developed during the Goryeo Dynasty. The huge scale of the Buddha shrine and the position of the statues within the shrine make this a very rare find in Korea, and this distinctiveness gives the shrine additional value and importance.

Location