Fragments of Beopcheonsa Temple Jikwang Guksa Pagoda Return to Wonju After 112 Years

Thirty-one Pieces Excluding Okgaeseok and Tapsinseok
"Aiming to Restore Their Original Appearance as Much as Possible"

Components of the National Treasure Beopcheonsa Site Jikwang Guksa Pagoda are returning to Wonju City after 112 years. The Cultural Heritage Administration announced on the 31st that a homecoming ceremony will be held on the 10th of next month at the Beopcheonsa Site Exhibition Hall.

The components include various stone materials that make up the pagoda, such as the pedestal, body, roof, and finial. The Jikwang Guksa Pagoda consists of thirty-three pieces. Among these, thirty-one pieces that have undergone preservation treatment for about five years at the Cultural Heritage Conservation Science Center of the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage are being transported this time. The remaining two pieces, the roof stone and the body stone, were excluded due to the need for continuous inspection.

The Jikwang Guksa Pagoda is a seungtap (僧塔; a pagoda enshrining a monk’s relics or ashes) that was originally erected at the Beopcheonsa site in Buron-myeon, Wonju City. It enshrines the relics and ashes of Haerin (984?1070), a national monk (Guksa) of the Goryeo Dynasty. The pagoda features a square floor plan with a pavilion structure adorned with elaborate carvings, exuding a distinctive character. However, it was taken to Osaka, Japan, in 1912, dismantled more than ten times, and some parts were damaged by bombing during the Korean War.

The Cultural Heritage Conservation Science Center dismantled the Jikwang Guksa Pagoda in 2016 and conducted scientific investigations and preservation treatments. An official stated, "Missing components were newly fabricated by sourcing stone materials most similar to those originally used at the time of the pagoda’s construction through provenance research," adding, "We aimed to restore the original appearance as much as possible by bonding damaged components."

The Cultural Heritage Administration is closely consulting with Wonju City to determine the optimal preservation plan for the Jikwang Guksa Pagoda. Until the final restoration location is decided, the pagoda will be on permanent display at the Beopcheonsa Site Exhibition Hall.