Ceremony Held for the Delivery of the National Treasure Designation Certificate for Pohang Bogyeongsa Five-Story Stone Pagoda

Visit of Abbot Tanwon of Bogyeongsa Temple, a Millennium-old Temple in Naeyeonsan, Pohang, Receiving the Treasure Designation Certificate

On the 22nd, Pohang City held a ceremony at the City Hall External Cooperation Office to deliver the designation certificate for the ‘Pohang Bogyeongsa Five-story Stone Pagoda,’ which has been designated as a nationally recognized cultural heritage treasure.

Pohang City held a certificate presentation ceremony for the designation of the 'Bogyeongsa Five-Story Stone Pagoda' as a nationally designated cultural heritage treasure. Photo by Pohang City

With the designation of the Pohang Bogyeongsa Five-story Stone Pagoda as a Nationally Designated Cultural Heritage (Treasure) on October 16, 2024, the ceremony was attended by Bogyeongsa Chief Monk Tanwon, who received the treasure designation certificate.

Bogyeongsa, a thousand-year-old temple founded in the 7th century, now holds a total of eight treasures, including the newly designated Five-story Stone Pagoda and the Cheonwangmun Gate designated in April, as well as the Bogyeongsa Wonjinguksa Stele and Bogyeongsa Seungtap (monk’s tomb). The Naeyeonsan Waterfall, where Bogyeongsa is located, has been designated as a nationally recognized natural heritage scenic site.

The city is promoting the elevation of the Bogyeongsa Gwaebultang (large Buddhist painting) from treasure to national treasure status, as well as the elevation of the Jeokgwangjeon Wood-carved Birojana Triad Buddha statue and the Jeokgwangjeon Sumi altar to treasure status. Efforts are also underway to discover and designate non-designated heritage such as the Bogyeongsa Palsangdo (Eight Scenes Painting) as national heritage.

Additionally, the city is continuously advancing surrounding maintenance projects to preserve and manage the national heritage within Bogyeongsa and to provide convenience for visitors, supported by budgets from the National Heritage Administration’s National Heritage Conservation and Maintenance Projects.

This year, projects such as national heritage preservation treatment and maintenance, installation of security facilities, and design of an open-type storage facility were carried out. Next year, precise measurements of national heritage and installation of fire safety facilities are planned.

Mayor Lee Kang-deok stated, “We will continue to promote restoration and maintenance projects in close consultation with Bogyeongsa to create a viewing environment where local residents and citizens visiting Pohang’s cultural heritage can comfortably enjoy.”

Currently, Pohang City is promoting national heritage designation (elevation) projects for 25 sites, including Bogyeongsa’s national heritage, Chilpori Rock Carvings, and Oeosa Daeungjeon Hall.

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