One National Treasure 'Mongsanhwasangbeobeoyakrok' Stolen 27 Years Ago

[Asia Economy Reporter Jonggil Lee] It has been confirmed that one copy of the nationally designated cultural treasure, the ‘Mongsan Hwasang Beobeoyakrok (Translation)’, has been stolen.

On the 29th, the Cultural Heritage Administration announced on its stolen cultural property information page that “Treasure No. 767-2, Mongsan Hwasang Beobeoyakrok (Translation), was stolen in Seoul before 1993, and its current whereabouts are unknown.” According to the National Cultural Heritage Portal, there are a total of six copies of this book.

The ‘Mongsan Hwasang Beobeoyakrok (Translation)’ is a book published by Hye-gak Jonja Shinmi, who added gugyeol (Korean reading aids) and translated into Korean the Dharma talks of Mongsan, a high monk from the late Yuan Dynasty, consisting of six sermons, and the Dharma talk of the Goryeo monk Boje Jonja, titled Sigak Oseon Inbeobeo (示覺悟禪人法語). It records the words and teachings of Buddha and served as a guide for monks during their practice. It was widely circulated in Korea during the Joseon Dynasty.

The translated edition was annotated and translated into Korean by Shinmi. It was made by carving on wooden blocks and printing on mulberry paper. The size is 17.1 cm wide and 26.5 cm tall. The stolen book is estimated to have been published around 1470. It was published in Hangul in the early Joseon period and is valued as a precious resource not only for Buddhist history but also for the study of Hunminjeongeum.

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