Historic Temple Gets First Pagoda
Category
Publisher
Writer
Year
Publisher
Writer
Year
KOREA JOONGANG DAILY
So-Young MOON
2016
SUNCHEON, South Jeolla—Songgwang Temple, or Songgwangsa, is dubbed one of Korea’s “three jewel temples,” as it has produced many famed priests in its 1,000-year history, including the sixteen monks titled “guksa (the nation’s teacher).” The three jewels of Buddhism refer to the Buddha himself, Dharma (his teach- ings) and monks.
It is strange that such a historic temple built on such a large scale has no pagoda, which is regarded as Bud- dhist architecture’s essential element. There are two hypotheses, according to the Songgwangsa monks.
One is that the temple’s site in Sun- cheon, South Jeolla, has the form of a lotus floating on water according to feng shui, so a pagoda, mainly made of stone in Korea, would have presented an inappropriate pressure on the lotus. The other theory is that there was no proper stone for a pagoda, such as granite, near the temple.
Either way, the lack of a pagoda is now regarded as its most unique element.
It’s therefore an unprecedented move for Songgwang Temple to em- brace a contemporary art project — a sculpture that resembles a pagoda — and to allow it near the Cheongnyang pavilion at the temple’s entrance. The sculpture “Mediated Memory” by art- ist Byoungho Kim was unveiled on Saturday.
Kim, 42, is known for sculptures composed of many modules, which give the viewers the impression of in- dustrial products but, at the same time, a feeling of sublimity as their forms seem to extend toward immensity.
“I wanted to try a work that would breathe with nature and people, in- stead of merely existing in the white cube of a museum or gallery,” Kim said at the temple on Saturday. “The work will stand here for the next one year, with its color turning from its cur- rent gold to reddish brown in the sun- light, wind, rain — and with the touch of humans.
“Actually, I don’t have a religion,” he continued. “But I’ve been interest- ed in Buddhist pagodas and the cairns piled up by commoners, which can be found around almost every Korean temple, as they are visualizations of human prayers. Cairns are seen world- wide... They represent wishes or prayers. So, just like the piling up stones, I have linked modules into the form of a Buddhist pagoda.”
“The complete form of the pagoda reminds me of the cairn carrying the wishes of commoners ,” said Venera- ble Daegyeong, head of Songgwang- sa’s precepts institute. “It also shows the Buddhist theory of Pratityasamutpada — that every phenomenon arises dependent upon another.”
“Temples are trying to balance tra- dition and contemporary art and cul- ture,” said Venerable Moo Rang, deputy director of the Songgwangsa Mu- seum. “This project will help Songg- wangsa become more active in em- bracing contemporary art.”
Monks of the Songgwang Temple in Suncheon, South Jeolla view “Mediated Memory,” a sculpture by artist Byoungho Kim, fifth from right. Installed near the Cheongnyang pavillion at the temple’s entrance, the sculpture will be there for one year.