Yeongju City Begins Remodeling of Buseoksa Museum

Preparing for the Return of the National Treasure "Josadang Mural"
56 Billion Won Invested to Improve Preservation and Exhibition Environment

Yeongju City announced on September 18 that it has begun remodeling work on the Buseoksa Museum to improve the preservation environment for national treasures and treasures housed at Buseoksa Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

This project will be carried out over three years until 2027, with a total budget of 5.685 billion won (1.705 billion won from the national government, 1.99 billion won from the provincial government, and 1.99 billion won from the city government). The museum, with a total floor area of 1,651 square meters, will be transformed into a space optimized for the preservation and management of national treasures and treasures through this remodeling.

The core of the project is to create a dedicated space for the preservation and exhibition of the national treasure "Buseoksa Josadang Mural," which is scheduled to return at the end of 2026. Created in the third year of King U of Goryeo (1377), this mural is the oldest surviving temple mural in Korea. After being separated during the Japanese colonial period in 1916, it underwent plaster reinforcement and preservation treatment and is currently undergoing a detailed examination at the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage.

In addition, numerous nationally designated cultural properties within Buseoksa Temple grounds-including Goryeo woodblocks, the Obulhoe Gwaebultang, the Bukjiri Seated Stone Buddha, and the Seated Stone Shakyamuni Buddha-will be transferred to the museum for safer storage and exhibition, protecting them from natural disasters such as wildfires. A museum shop and rest area for visitors will also be newly established.

Buseoksa Temple, founded by Monk Uisang in the 16th year of King Munmu of Silla (676), is the principal temple of the Korean Hwaeom School. It was inscribed as a World Heritage site in 2018 under the name "Sansa, Buddhist Mountain Monasteries in Korea." Yeongju City expects this remodeling to further enhance the value of this World Heritage site.

Ven. Deunghwa, the chief administrator of Buseoksa Temple, stated, "This remodeling is not just about preservation but is a cultural regeneration project that redefines the function of the temple museum. It will serve as an opportunity to strengthen Yeongju's brand as the home of a World Heritage site."

An official from Yeongju City emphasized, "We will provide full support to ensure the Buseoksa Museum remodeling project proceeds without any setbacks, putting proactive administration into practice."

Buseoksa Museum.

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