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Haeinsa
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Haeinsa (Temple of Reflection on a Smooth Sea) is one of the foremost Chogye Buddhist temples in South Korea. It is most notable for being the home of the Tripitaka Koreana, the whole of the Buddhist Scriptures carved onto 81,258 wooden printing blocks, which it has housed since 1398.
Haeinsa is one of the Three Jewel Temples of Korea, and represents Dharma or the Buddha’s teachings. It is located on Gaya Mountain in South Gyeongsang Province.
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Encyclopedia
Haeinsa (Temple of Reflection on a Smooth Sea) is one of the foremost Chogye Buddhist temples in South Korea. It is most notable for being the home of the Tripitaka Koreana, the whole of the Buddhist Scriptures carved onto 81,258 wooden printing blocks, which it has housed since 1398.
Haeinsa is one of the Three Jewel Temples of Korea, and represents Dharma or the Buddha’s teachings. It is located on Gaya Mountain in South Gyeongsang Province. It is still an active Seon practice center in modern times, and was the home temple of the influential Rev. Seongcheol, who died in 1993.
History
The temple was first built in 802. Legend says that two Korean monks returned from China, Suneung and Ijeong, and healed King Aejang wife's of her illness. In gratitude of the Buddha's mercy, the king ordered the construction of the temple. Another account, by Choe Chi-Won in 900 states that Suneung and his disciple Ijeong, gained the support of a queen dowager who converted to Buddhism and then helped to finance the construction of the temple.
The temple complex was renovated in the 900s, 1488, 1622, and 1644. Hirang, the temple abbot enjoyed the patronage of Taejo of Goryeo during that king’s reign. Haiensa was burned down in a fire in 1817 and the main hall was rebuilt in 1818. Another renovation in 1964 uncovered a royal robe of King Gwanghaegun, who was responsible for the 1622 renovation, and an inscription on a ridge beam.
The main hall, Daejeokkwangjeon (Hall of Great Silence and Light), is unusual because it is dedicated to Vairocana where most other Korean temples house Seokgamoni in their main halls.
The Temple of Haeinsa and the Depositories for the "Tripitaka Koreana" Woodblocks, were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1995. The UNESCO committee noted that the buildings housing the Tripitaka Koreana are unique because no other historical structure was specifically dedicated to the preservation of artifacts and the techniques used were particularly ingenuous.
The temple also holds several official treasures including a realistic wooden carving of a monk and interesting Buddhist paintings, stone pagodas, and lanterns.
Janggyeong Panjeon (National Treasure No.52)
The storage halls, known as the Janggyeong Panjeon complex, is the depository for the Tripitaka Koreana woodblocks at Haeinsa Temple are also designated by the Korean government as a national treasure of Korea. They are some of the largest storage facilities made of wood. The halls were designated on December 20, 1962. Remarkably, the halls were untouched during the Japanese invasion of Korea and the halls were spared from the fire that burnt most of the temple complex down in 1818. All told, the storage halls have survived seven serious temple fires and even a near bombing during the Korean War when a pilot disobeyed orders because he remembered that the temple held a priceless treasure.
Janggyeong Panjeon complex is the oldest part of the temple and houses the 81,258 wooden printing blocks from the Tripitaka. Although when the hall which houses the Tripitaka Koreana was first built is uncertain, it is believed that King Sejo expanded and renovated the hall in 1457. The storage complex is made up of four halls arranged in a rectangle and the style is very plain because of its use as a storage facility. The northern hall is called Beopbojeon (Hall of Dharma) and the southern hall is called Sudarajang (Hall of Sutras). These two main halls are 60.44 meters in length, 8.73 meters in width, and 7.8 meters in height. They both have fifteen rooms with the two adjoining rooms. Additionally, there are two small halls in the east and west which are two small libraries.
Several ingeniuous preservation techniques are utilized to preserve the wooden printing blocks. The architects also utilized nature to help preserve the Tripitaka. The storage complex was built at the highest point of the temple and is 655 meters above sea level. Janggyeong Panjeon faces the southwest to avoid damp southeasternly winds of the valley below and uses the mountain peaks to block the cold north wind. Different sized windows in the north and south of both main halls are used to ventilate the halls and the they utilize principles of hydrodynamics. The windows were installed in every hall to maximize ventilation and moderate temperature. The clay floors were filled with charcoal, calcium oxide, salt, lime, and sand which reduces humidity when it rained by absorbing excess moisture while retaining moisture during the dry winter months. The roof is also made with clay and the bracketing and wood rafters prevent sudden changes in temperature. Additionally, no part of the complex is exposed to shade. Apparently, animals, insects, and birds avoid the complex but the reason for this is unknown. These sophisticated preservation measures are widely credited as the reason the woodblocks have survived in such fantastic condition to this day.
In 1970, a modern storage complex was built utilizing modern preservation techniques but when test woodblocks were found to have mildew, the intended move was canceled and the woodblocks are still stored at Haeinsa.
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