a) Temples


The first Korean temples to be built, according to records, were Songmun-sa (or Ch'o-mun-sa) and Ibulran-sa. They were built in 375 by Koguryo King Sosurim. Koguryo King Kwang-gaet'o built nine temples in P'yongyang in 392. And other Koguryo temples like Kumgang-sa, Panyong-sa, Yongt'ap-sa, were also built very early on according to the records. Sadly, we know nothing about the form or style of these temples.

However, an ancient temple site, believed to be that of Kumgang-sa, was excavated at Ch'ong-am-ni, near P'yongyang and the Taedong-gang River in 1938. The arrangement of the temple compound seems to have been centered on an octagonal building. Traces of two other buildings are found to the east and west of the octagonal building. To the north, there are traces of a big building, and to the south a trace of a gate. Further north, there are traces of four more buildings, one quite separate from the rest.

A temple was built on Han-san as soon as Buddhism was brought to Paekje. Later on, during the reign of kings Pop and Mu, Wanghung-sa and Miruk-sa were built respectively. In the record, some names of other temples such as Yoak-sa, Oham-sa, Ch'onwang-sa, Toyang-sa and Paeksok-sa were also mentioned. Some of these temples have been excavated but some remain to be dug. Wanghung-sa was a very magnificent temple in Puyo, the capital of Paekje at that time. The site of Miruk-sa is the largest of the sites of Korean temples and it shows a unique arrangement of the three buildings. Hungnyun-sa, which was finished in 545, the 5th year of the reign of King Chinhung, was probably the first and the largest Shilla temple. Yonghung-sa and Hwangnyong-sa were built at the same time as were Chiwon-sa and Shilje-sa. All of these temples were large and magnificent; many more were to be built as the years went by.

Such great temples influenced the architectural style and the building techniques used at that time enormously. In this way extraordinary developments occurred. Special roofs to cover the huge halls had to be created and the arrangement of beams to support the roofs required great engineering ability.