737 Haeinsa Temple Janggyeong Panjeon, the Depositories for the Tripitaka Koreana Woodblocks – 1995

Haeinsa Temple Janggyeong Panjeon, the Depositories for the Tripitaka Koreana Woodblocks

The Temple of Haeinsa, on Mount Gaya, is home to the Tripitaka Koreana , the most complete collection of Buddhist texts, engraved on 80,000 woodblocks between 1237 and 1248. The buildings of Janggyeong Panjeon, which date from the 15th century, were constructed to house the woodblocks, which are also revered as exceptional works of art. As the oldest depository of the Tripitaka , they reveal an astonishing mastery of the invention and implementation of the conservation techniques used to preserve these woodblocks.

Brief synthesis

The Janggyeong Panjeon in the Temple of Haeinsa, on the slopes of Mount Gayasan, is home to the Tripitaka Koreana, the most complete collection of Buddhist texts, laws and treaties extant, engraved on approximately 80,000 woodblocks between 1237 and 1248. The Haeinsa Tripitaka woodblocks were carved in an appeal to the authority of the Buddha in the defense of Korea against the Mongol invasions. They are recognized by Buddhist scholars around the world for their outstanding accuracy and superior quality. The woodblocks are also valuable for the delicate carvings of the Chinese characters, so regular as to suggest that they are the work of a single hand.

The Janggyeong Panjeon depositories comprise two long and two smaller buildings, which are arranged in a rectangle around a courtyard. As the most important buildings in the Haeinsa Temple complex, they are located at a higher level than the hall housing the main Buddha of the complex. Constructed in the 15th century in the traditional style of the early Joseon period, their design is characterized by its simplicity of detailing and harmony of layout, size, balance and rhythm.

The four buildings are considered to be unique both in terms of their antiquity with respect to this specialized type of structure, and for the remarkably effective conservation solutions that were employed in their design to protect the woodblocks from deterioration, while providing for easy access and storage. They were specially designed to provide natural ventilation and to modulate temperature and humidity, adapted to climatic conditions, thus preserving the woodblocks for some 500 years from rodent and insect infestation. The Haeinsa Temple complex is a famous destination for pilgrimages, not only among Korean Buddhists, but Buddhists and scholars from all over the world.

Criterion (iv):

The depositories of the Haeinsa Temple are unique both in terms of their antiquity so far as this specialized type of structure is concerned, and also for the remarkably effective solutions developed in the 15th century to address the problem of storing and conserving the 80,000 woodblocks used to print the Buddhist scriptures (Tripitaka Koreana) against deterioration.

Criterion (vi):

The Janggyeong Panjeon and its unique collection of 13th century Tripitaka Koreana woodblocks, outstanding for their artistry and excellent execution of engraving techniques, occupy an exceptional position in the history of Buddhism as the most complete and accurate corpus of Buddhist doctrinal texts in the world.

Integrity

All components of the Haeinsa Temple complex, including the Janggyeong Panjeon and the Tripitaka Koreana woodblocks, are included within the boundaries of the designation.

The overall condition of the Janggyeong Panjeon is good, though continuous repairs are required to the woodblocks and to the shelves on which the woodblocks are stored.

The remarkably successful conservation solutions employed in the design of the depositories, which provide for natural ventilation and temperature and humidity control, have resulted in the protection of the woodblocks for over 500 years from rodent and insect infestation. Temperature and humidity levels should continue to be strictly monitored and controlled.

The woodblocks and depositories are of wood construction and are susceptible to fire damage and theft.

Authenticity

The temple complex, individual structures and woodblocks maintain a high degree of authenticity. The Janggyeong Panjeon continues to house the 80,000 woodblocks of the Tripitaka Koreana and maintains both their original form and function. Restoration of the four depositories was carried out during the past 30 years in order to conserve the buildings. The form, general layout and architectural detailing of the buildings have been preserved to this day without any major changes or damage.

Protection and management requirements

Haeinsa Temple is owned by the Korean Buddhist Jogye Order. The Daejanggyeongpan (Tripitaka Koreana Woodblocks) and the Janggyeong Panjeon (the depositories) have been designated as National Treasures, under the Cultural Heritage Protection Act. The entire area of Haeinsa Temple is designated as a Historic Site and  a 2,095 ha area around the temple complex including Mount Gayasan, is designated as a Scenic Site under the same Act. The entire area of Mount Gayasan surrounding the temple is designated and protected as a National Park by the Natural Parks Act, which acts as a buffer zone to the cultural heritage. Haeinsa Temple is also registered as a ‘Buddhist Temple with historical significance’ under the Traditional Buddhist Temple Preservation Law. These designations impose strict constraints on alterations to the property and buffer zone.

At the national level, the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) is responsible for establishing and enforcing policies for the protection of the temple complex and buffer zone, and allocating financial resources for the conservation of the Janggyeong Panjeon and the woodblocks. Gyeongsangnam-do Province provides additional financial support for the conservation of the temple and its woodblocks, and Hapcheon-gun County is directly responsible for the more specific operations of conservation and management. Haeinsa Temple is in charge of the day-to-day management and provides information on the woodblocks via its website. Regular day-to-day monitoring of the property is carried out and in-depth professional monitoring is conducted on a 3 to 4 year basis.

General conservation focuses on protecting the physical environment of the property together with various projects that concentrates on the documentary values of the Tripitaka woodblocks. Conservation work is conducted by Cultural Heritage Conservation Specialists who have passed the National Certification Exams in their individual fields of expertise. Although there is no specific management plan for the property, management policies of collaborating institutions under the various statutory designations provide the framework for conservation.

In order to protect the Janggyeon Panjeon and woodblocks from fire, full-time security guards and a 24-hour surveillance system are in place and a lightening rod has been installed. A mid-size fire pump truck is placed within the grounds of the temple for immediate response to fire. In order to control the temperature and humidity within the depositories, there are restrictions to visitor entry into the Janggyeong Panjeon.