Korea Heritage Service eyes National Treasure status for 10 Joseon-era Buddhist structures

“The Korea Heritage Service moved Thursday to expand its roster of National Treasures, turning attention to a category of religious architecture long overshadowed by grander temple halls and stone pagodas. The central government agency responsible for protecting, managing and promoting the nation’s cultural heritage announced that it will seek official treasure designation for 10 Buddhist structures dating largely from the 17th to 19th centuries, including six subsidiary worship halls and four monks’ residential quarters. The proposal begins a 30-day public review period before a final decision. The buildings, scattered across the country from Gyeonggi Province to South Jeolla Province, offer a rare architectural record of how Korean temples functioned not only as places of devotion, but also as centers of daily life, scholarship and refuge. Among the sites nominated is Geungnakjeon Hall at Hyeondeung Temple in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province, believed to have been rebuilt in 1765 after a fire. Officials said surviving timber members and inscriptions discovered during restoration helped

Summary generated from the RSS feed of Korea Times Southkorea. All article rights belong to the original publisher. Click through to read the full piece on www.koreatimes.co.kr.