Destruction of Hwangnyongsa

Overview

The destruction of Hwangnyongsa was an event in which, in 1238 (the 25th year of King Gojong), during the third Mongol invasion, Mongol forces advanced to Donggyeong (東京, present-day Gyeongju) and burned Hwangnyongsa (皇龍寺), the greatest national protection temple since the Silla period. The entire temple complex was lost, including the nine-story wooden pagoda, estimated at about 80 m in height. Today only the temple site and its foundation stones remain.

Hwangnyongsa and the Nine-Story Pagoda

Hwangnyongsa was a temple whose construction began in 553, the 14th year of King Jinheung of Silla, when a yellow dragon was said to have appeared on the site where a new royal palace was to be built, and the site was instead converted into a temple. In 574, the 35th year of Jinheung, a sixteen-foot Buddha statue (장륙존상) was enshrined, and in 584, the 6th year of King Jinpyeong, the main hall (금당) was built.

According to the Samguk Yusa, Jajang (慈藏), who had studied in the Tang dynasty, received a message from a divine being (神人) that building a nine-story pagoda at Hwangnyongsa would cause neighboring countries to submit and the nation to become peaceful. He returned and proposed the construction of the pagoda to Queen Seondeok. Queen Seondeok invited Abiji (阿非知), a craftsman from Baekje, and had Kim Yongchun (金龍春), a district official (이간), supervise the work with 200 junior craftsmen (小匠). Construction began in the 12th year of Queen Seondeok (643) and was completed in 645. It is said that each story was meant to suppress nine neighboring countries (Japan, China, Wuyue, Takla, Eungyu, Malgal, Danguk, Yeojeok, and Yemaek). The "Chalju Bonggi" (刹柱本記) from the reign of King Gyeongmun records that the finial section was 42 cheok and the pagoda body was 183 cheok, for a total of 225 cheok. Converted into modern units, this is estimated at about 80 m.

The wooden pagoda was damaged several times by lightning and tilting and was rebuilt. After it was struck by lightning in the 17th year of King Seongdeok (718), it was repaired in 720. In the 11th–12th years of King Gyeongmun (871–872), the tilting pagoda was dismantled and rebuilt. In the 5th year of King Gwangjong of Goryeo (954), it suffered another calamity, and in the 3rd year of King Hyeonjong (1012) its timbers were reused to repair Jo Yugung in Gyeongju. It was also repaired in the 13th year of Hyeonjong (1022) and the 18th year of King Munjong (1064). In this way, over 593 years spanning the Silla and Goryeo dynasties, it was rebuilt six times and was revered as a symbol of national protection.

Destruction

The third Mongol invasion led by Tanggu (唐古), which began in 1235 (the 22nd year of King Gojong), continued for several years and extended deep into southern Goryeo. In 1238, Mongol forces reached Donggyeong and burned Hwangnyongsa, and the nine-story wooden pagoda was lost along with the temple complex. The Korean encyclopedia entry "Nine-Story Wooden Pagoda of Hwangnyongsa" records that when the entire Hwangnyongsa complex burned in the 25th year of King Gojong due to the invasion of the Mongol army, the pagoda was also destroyed.