Confirmation of Civil Engineering Work at the Central Main Hall Site of Mireuksa Temple in Iksan

Differences Appear Compared to Traditional Mireuksaji Baekje Temple Techniques

The National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and the National Buyeo Cultural Heritage Research Institute announced on the 11th that they confirmed the civil engineering process from the foundation of the central main hall site to the construction of the internal platform during the excavation of the central main hall site at Mireuksa Temple in Iksan.

The Mireuksa Temple site in Iksan is the largest temple site from the Three Kingdoms period. Along with the Iksan Wanggung-ri ruins, it is considered a core site of the Baekje royal capital. It is evaluated to show the appearance of Iksan during the reign of King Mu of Baekje and was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2015 as part of the "Baekje Historic Areas." The central main hall site is the main hall of the temple enshrining the principal Buddha statue.

According to the National Buyeo Cultural Heritage Research Institute, which led the investigation, the foundation facilities for the building pillars at the central main hall site have a diameter of 2.2 to 2.4 meters and a depth of 1.2 meters. The foundation was made by alternating soil and crushed stones, showing a difference from the Baekje temple construction techniques previously confirmed at Mireuksa Temple. The National Buyeo Cultural Heritage Research Institute also confirmed that the platform foundation and pillar foundation facilities were reconstructed over a considerable area on the west side. The platform is a tier built by leveling the building site neatly and stacking it higher than the building site.

The National Buyeo Cultural Heritage Research Institute explained, "The central main halls of the eastern and western Mireuksa Temple in Iksan, as well as the construction methods of state-established buildings from the Three Kingdoms period, provide important data for comparison," and added, "It is evaluated to demonstrate the natural terrain under Mireuksan Mountain and the civil engineering techniques of the Baekje people utilizing it, as described in the 'Samguk Yusa (Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms).'"

The Cultural Heritage Administration will hold an on-site briefing on the 12th at 32-1 Giyang-ri, Geumma-myeon, Iksan-si, Jeonbuk, where the excavation took place. They plan to provide detailed information on the construction process and changes of the central main hall site at Mireuksa Temple in Iksan. An official stated, "We will conduct natural scientific analyses on artifacts, stones, soil, and organic samples excavated from inside to identify the cause and specific period of the reconstruction of the platform foundation at the main hall site."