Girimsa Sojobirojanabul Reliquary Documents, Gyeongju

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.959

Category

Books & Records

Designated year

1988

Location

경주시, 경상북도— 경상북도 경주시 기림로 437-17(문무대왕면, 기림사)

Coordinates

No precise coordinates are available, so this item is not shown as a map marker. To be added later.

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

The Buddhist scriptures from the consecration chamber of the wooden Vairocana Buddha at Gimrisa in Gyeongju comprise 54 volumes in 71 fascicles of various hand-copied scriptures and woodblock editions. Ten hand-copied volumes were identified, including the Silver-Ink Great Prajnaparamita Sutra Volume 210, estimated to date to 1348 (fourth year of King Chungmok). The woodblock editions include the Great Flower Garland Sutra Volume 26, printed in the early thirteenth century from woodblock plates created during King Sukjong's reign (1096-1105), as well as late Goryeo and early Joseon printings, including the Zen School's Single-Mind Verse printed and carved in 1500 at Bongseosa Temple in Hapcheon. The bindings display remarkable variety beyond the thread-sewn format common in the Joseon period, including accordion-fold binding frequently seen in Goryeo manuscripts, the uncommon butterfly binding, and back-pasting binding. The butterfly-bound examples include the Great Buddha Crown Sutra Volumes 4-7, 8-9, carved from plates created in 1309 during King Chungseon's reign and reprinted in 1370, along with the Great Flower Garland Sutra Commentary Volume 97 from Chinese Song dynasty woodblock plates, estimated to have been printed in late Goryeo. Among the back-pasting examples are the Great Perfectly Complete Enlightenment Sutra Volumes 2 and the Lotus Sutra Three-Samadhi Confession Discourse, both appearing to be late Goryeo printings. These scriptures demonstrate actual examples of the Silver-Character Great Canon created during the Goryeo period and exemplify the diverse binding formats and carving practices of Goryeo-era woodblock editions. The various information recorded in the scriptures and woodblock editions regarding production purpose, timing, location, and participating individuals significantly aids understanding of the historical context of the period.