Bulguksa Temple

불국사

Bulguksa is a Buddhist temple on Mount Tohamsan in Gyeongju, South Korea, and a masterpiece of the golden age of Buddhist art in the Silla kingdom. Its name means "Temple of the Buddha Land". It is the head temple of the 11th district of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. It stands on the slopes of Tohamsan, near the famous Seokguram Grotto.

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At a glance

Country: South Korea
Location: Gyeongju, South Korea
Built: 774
Type: Religious building

Quick answers

Where is Bulguksa Temple?

Bulguksa Temple is in Gyeongju, South Korea.

When was Bulguksa Temple built?

Bulguksa Temple was built in 774.

A masterpiece of Silla Buddhist art, famous for its two stone pagodas, Dabotap and Seokgatap.

The temple holds six National Treasures, including the stone pagodas Dabotap and Seokgatap, Cheongun-gyo (Blue Cloud Bridge), and two gilt-bronze Buddha statues. In 1995 Bulguksa and the nearby Seokguram Grotto were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List together. The temple is classified as a Historic Site by the South Korean government.

History

Temple records say a small temple stood here in 528 under King Beopheung. The present temple was begun in 751 under King Gyeongdeok by the chief minister Kim Daeseong, and completed in 774 by the Silla royal court after his death. During the Imjin wars the wooden buildings burned to the ground. Rebuilding started after 1604, with about 40 renovations until 1805, and a major restoration was carried out between 1969 and 1973.

Stone treasures and a printing surprise

The famous stone structures, such as the two pagodas, are preserved from the original Silla building. In 1966 a Buddhist text called the Dharani sutra was found at the temple, printed on a mulberry-paper scroll 630 centimetres long. It dates from between 704 and 751, making it one of the earliest woodblock prints in the world. Many see them as a high point of Silla stonework.

Fun facts

It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site together with Seokguram in 1995.
It owns six National Treasures.
A woodblock-printed Dharani sutra found there in 1966 is one of the oldest printed texts in the world.
The pagodas Dabotap and Seokgatap were the basis for a novel and a 1957 film, Shadowless Pagoda.