Taejasa Nanggongdaesa Memorial Stele of Buddhist Monk, Bonghwa

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.1877

Category

Books & Records

Era

고려시대

Designated year

2015

Location

용산구, 서울특별시— 서울특별시 용산구 서빙고로 137 (용산동6가, 국립중앙박물관)

Coordinates

37.524049, 126.980650

This stone stele originally located in the precincts of Taejasa Temple in Bonghwa was erected in 954 to honor the life and achievements of an eminent Buddhist monk named Nanggong (832-916). The inscription on the stele was composed by Choe In-yeong, a great man of letters of his time, together with the monk’s head pupil Seok Sun-baek. The inscription consists of characters collected by another of his pupils named Danmok from the writings of a great calligrapher named Kim Saeng, and was engraved by a group of four monk-engravers, Sungtae, Sugyu, Cheongjik and Hyecho. The inscription contains a rather detailed biography of the monk together with a record of the stele’s background, including the names of the people who participated in the compilation of the text, the collection of the calligraphic characters, and its construction. It is regarded as a valuable historical material that provides important clues about Korean society and culture between late Silla and early Goryeo. It also provides important basic materials with respect to Kim Saeng’s calligraphy.

Location