Large Temple 'Gochang Seonunsa Manseru' to Become a Treasure

Gochang Seonunsa Manseru

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jong-gil] The Manse-roo (萬歲樓) of Seonunsa Temple in Gochang, a large temple from the late Joseon Dynasty, is set to become a treasure.

On the 27th, the Cultural Heritage Administration announced that it plans to designate Manse-roo of Seonunsa Temple in Gochang, registered as a Jeonbuk Tangible Cultural Property, as a nationally designated cultural treasure. Manse-roo is a temple pavilion that is unusually large, with nine bays across the front and two bays on the side. Typically, pavilions are built with three bays, and five bays are considered large. The building measures 23.7 meters in width and 7.8 meters in depth.

A representative feature is the large beams installed to support the roof load. A long beam is placed across the middle three bays, while the three bays on each side have tall central pillars with shorter beams laid across them. This architectural technique is evaluated as emphasizing the central space while ensuring the structural stability of the building. Unlike typical pavilions, there are no temple bells or drums installed. The Cultural Heritage Administration explained, “It confirms the transformation of the pavilion into a Buddhist worship space during the late Joseon period.”

Manse-roo is located between Cheonwangmun Gate and Daeungbojeon Hall. According to the “Daeyangru Yeolgi (1686)” and “Manse-roo Jungsugi (1760),” the site originally housed Daeyangru, a two-story pavilion built in 1620. After that building was destroyed by fire, the current structure was rebuilt in 1752 as Manse-roo. Unlike Daeyangru, it is a single-story building with a gable roof resembling an open book. The Cultural Heritage Administration stated, “This is an example of a Buddhist temple pavilion building appropriately adapted to the times. It holds historical and academic value for overcoming the difficult construction environment to procure materials and for its originality.”

The Cultural Heritage Administration will collect opinions from various sectors for one month and finalize the designation as a treasure after review by the Cultural Heritage Committee.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.