Detail

`For the purpose of widely publicizing the traditional culture and wisdom of the people of Korea, at the same time imbuing the people`s mind with the spirit of loving cultural properties, the Ministry of Comminications has selected 10 outstanding items of stone pagodas, designed as national treasures, as the themes of a series of postage stamps depicting historic stone pagodas to be issued this year on five occasions. The two following pagodas have been chosen for the first of the series. 1. Three­storeyed Pagoda with Four Lion at Hwa?m­sa Temple: National Treasure No.35, This pagoda of a particular shape was erected in the mid 8th century during the period of Unified Silla. It is 5.5m in height and is located within the compound of Hwa?m­sa Temple, Cholla­namdo Province. On each side of the base, images of three divine figures of various types­­a total 12­­are carved, upon which are shown two couples of lions hugging each other on a lotus base. Upon the heads of lions another locus base is placed, with a standg statue of a great priest being set at center. Gates are incised on the four sides of the 1st storey, to the right and left of each of which are carved images of four Devas and Buddhist nuns, and the like. For the novel idea and excellent engraving so exquisitely demostrated , this one is the most outstanding of all stone pagodas with lions existing in the country. 2. Seven­storeyed Stone Pagoda at T`app`y?ng­ri: National Treasure No.6, this one is the highest, 14.5m of all existing stone pagodas built during the Silla Dynasty toward the end of the 8th century, and is located at T`app`y?ng-ri, Chungchong­bukdo Province. A stone pagoda of an ordinary shape erected on a double base, this one is somewhat peculiar in that the width of the base is comparatively wider for the body of tower. Many stones plates are used for the construction of the base and body, and a supporting pillar is erected along each side of the body of the 1st and 2nd storeys. The body of each storey gets thinner as the pagoda goes higher up from the 1st to the 7th storey. Simplicity and feebleness are felt as s whole as to the building techniques, giving an impression of being excessively high and steep as the body of tower is rather narrow in comparison with the height of pagoda.`