Promotion for Designation of Jeongamsa Myobeop Yeonhwagyeong Complete Volume and Hakrimsa Sanggung Buddha Stupa as Seoul City Cultural Properties

Nowon-gu Conducts Comprehensive Survey of Small Cultural Assets... Promotes New Designation of 15 Local Cultural Properties

The Lotus Sutra

Sanggungbudo

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Nowon-gu (District Mayor Oh Seung-rok) announced that it is promoting the designation of cultural assets within the region as Seoul Metropolitan City cultural assets and Nowon-gu local cultural assets.

The aim is to designate valuable local cultural assets as local cultural properties to strengthen the protection and management of precious cultural heritage, increase local residents' interest in local cultural assets, and enhance their pride.

The artifacts proposed for designation as cultural assets this time total 18 items, with 3 items being promoted for designation as Seoul Metropolitan City cultural assets and 15 items newly designated as Nowon-gu local cultural assets.

To this end, the district conducted a comprehensive survey of cultural assets held within the region for two months starting in June, completed on-site investigations by cultural asset advisory committee members, and finalized the designation review by the committee.

First, ▲ two complete volumes of the Myeobeop Yeonhwagyeong from Jeongamsa Temple ▲ and the Sanggung Buddha Tower at Haklimsa Temple are being promoted for designation as Seoul Metropolitan City cultural assets.

The Myeobeop Yeonhwagyeong from Jeongamsa Temple includes the complete 7-volume editions of the Anguksa and Seonamsa prints, plus an additional volume printed later. The place and date of publication are certain, and there is almost no damage. Since there is one additional volume beyond the complete set, it is evaluated as having high preservation value. The Myeobeop Yeonhwagyeong, also known as the "Lotus Sutra," is a famous scripture that, along with Huayan thought, forms a twin pillar of Chinese Buddhist studies.

The Sanggung Buddha Tower is located on the way to Haklimsa Temple. The Sanggung Buddha Tower, a stupa-type monument built for monks, is very unusual as it was constructed for a retired royal concubine, and it is expected to serve as a valuable reference for studying the relationship between royal concubines and Buddhism.

The 15 new designations as Nowon-gu local cultural assets include ▲ Suraksan Mountain rock inscriptions ▲ old houses in Sanggye-dong ▲ and 13 Buddhist scriptures (Bulseo) from Jeongamsa Temple. Public administrative notice is ongoing until January 2 of next year to collect residents' opinions, and the designation will be officially announced once the notice period ends.

The Suraksan Mountain rock inscriptions are writings engraved on rocks in the Suraksan Mountain valley. The authors of the inscriptions are unknown, and there are four rock inscriptions: Byeokundongcheon (碧雲洞天), Gukbong (菊峰), Soguk (小菊), and Uncheondae (雲泉臺). The district stated that the lively brushstrokes have high preservation value, but since they are located on hiking trails, there is concern about damage, so they will be designated as local cultural assets.

The old houses in Sanggye-dong are estimated to have been built in the early 20th century and show typical features of modern-era houses such as an L-shaped floor plan and a hipped-and-gabled roof. Considering the disappearance of traditional houses, the district announced that they will be designated as local cultural assets.

The district surveyed various woodblock prints and handwritten Buddhist scriptures held by Jeongamsa Temple within the jurisdiction and plans to designate a total of 13 items, including Amitabha Sutra (阿彌陀經), Seonmun Chwalyo (禪門撮要), and Hyeonhaenggyeong (現行經), as local cultural assets for protection and management. Although some are partially damaged, they are important materials for Buddhist history, and further research will be conducted with the intention to promote their designation as Seoul Metropolitan City cultural assets.

District Mayor Oh Seung-rok said, "Managing and preserving cultural assets is a historical responsibility and an obligation for future generations," adding, "We will continue to promote various policies that can raise awareness of the preciousness of our hidden cultural assets."

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