Seokguram, a hermitage near Bulguksa Temple in Gyeongju, South Korea, houses the Seokguram Grotto, a man-made granite grotto and National Treasure No. 24. Built in 751 AD by Kim Dae-seong, it features a seated granite Buddha statue. Despite various restorations, entry to Seokguram is currently prohibited except on Buddha’s Birthday. In 1972, the Bank of Korea planned a banknote featuring Seokguram’s Buddha statue, but religious objections led to a delay and design change, resulting in a banknote featuring King Sejong.
Seokguram (석굴암, 石窟庵) is a hermitage affiliated with Bulguksa (불국사, 佛國寺) Temple, located on the mid-slope of Tohamsan (토함산) Mountain in Gyeongju (경주시), Gyeongsangbuk-do (경상북도), South Korea.
Seokguram is home to the Seokguram Grotto, which is National Treasure No. 24. The Seokguram Grotto is the only man-made granite grotto in the world. Photography inside the grotto is prohibited to preserve its condition.
Since May 4, 2023, entry to Seokguram has been free of charge.
In 751 AD (the 10th year of King Gyeongdeok’s reign in the Unified Silla period), when Kim Dae-seong built it, it was called Seokbulsa (석불사, 石佛寺). A large temple is called “sa (사, 寺)” in one character, while a small temple is called “am (암, 庵)” in one character. Therefore, it is thought that Seokguram was larger when it was first built.
The Unified Silla Period
- 751 AD (10th year of King Gyeongdeok’s reign): The chief minister, Kim Dae-seong, began the construction of Seokbulsa (석불사, 石佛寺).
- 774 AD (10th year of King Hyegong’s reign): Kim Dae-seong completed Seokguram (석굴암, 石佛寺).
Joseon Dynasty
- 1703 (29th year of King Sukjong’s reign): Jongyeol (종열, 從悅) renovated it.
- 1758 (34th year of King Yeongjo’s reign): Daegyeom (대겸, 大謙) renovated it.
- Late Joseon period: Ulsan Commander Jo Yesang (울산병사 조예상, 趙禮相) renovated it.
Late Joseon Period and Japanese Colonial Era
- 1907: According to testimonies from local elders in 1962, Seokguram (석굴암) was called Jogasa (조가절, 趙家寺) during this time, and ordinary people continued to offer incense and food there. However, it was reported to the postmaster by a mailman as if it had been newly discovered. The Japanese authorities supported this, leading to the damage of the grotto by the Japanese and the removal of cultural artifacts.
Statues
Main Buddha(본존불)
The Main Buddha of Seokguram (석굴암) is a seated statue of Shakyamuni (석가여래좌상, 釋迦如來坐像) carved from granite. It is about 3.4 meters tall.
- Appearance: The statue depicts the moment when Shakyamuni Buddha overcame all the evil spirits and temptations. It shows the Buddha in a state of enlightenment, so it is also called the “Victory Statue.”
- Mudra (Hand Gestures): The right hand forms the “Earth-Touching Mudra” (항마촉지인, 降摩觸地印), and the left hand forms the “Meditation Mudra” (선정인, 禪定印).
- White Urna: The white gem between the Buddha’s eyebrows is called the “White Urna” (백호, 白毫). The original urna was lost, and the current one was restored in 1966 using a Korean crystal with a backing of pure gold.
- Halo: Seokguram is perfectly symmetrical except for the halo. The halo is asymmetrical so that it appears as a perfect circle when viewed from below. When viewed from a height of 160 cm, it appears perfectly round, suggesting that the average height of Silla men at that time was around 160 cm.
- Direction: The statue faces the direction of the sunrise on the winter solstice.
Eleven-Faced Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva(십일면 관음보살상)
Right behind the Main Buddha, in the center, is the Eleven-Faced Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva (십일면관음보살상, 十一面觀音菩薩像). This statue emphasizes three-dimensionality more than the other statues.
Bodhisattva Statues(보살상)
Next to the Heavenly Kings (천부상), there are statues of Manjusri Bodhisattva (문수보살, 文殊菩薩) and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva (보현보살, 普賢菩薩).
Ten Great Disciples(십대제자상)
The walls of the grotto feature statues of the Ten Great Disciples (십대제자상) of Shakyamuni Buddha. These disciples are also called Arhats (나한, 羅漢).
Niche Statues(감실상)
Above the Ten Great Disciples statues, there are 10 small niches. Each niche contains a small statue. There is one statue of Vimalakirti (유마거사상, 維摩居士像) and eight other Bodhisattva statues. Originally there were 10 statues, but during the Korean Empire period, a Japanese person took away the statues from the first and tenth niches. Now, lights are installed in those spots.
Heavenly Kings(천부상)
At the entrance to the corridor, there are statues of Brahma (범천, 梵天) and Indra (제석천, 帝釋天).
Four Heavenly Kings(사천왕상)
On both sides of the entrance corridor, known as the Bido (비도), there are two statues of the Four Heavenly Kings (사천왕상, 四天王像) on each side, carved in relief.
Diamond Guardians(금강역사상)
On both sides of the entrance to the corridor, a pair of Diamond Guardians (금강역사상) guard the entrance to the grotto. They hold diamond clubs and are also called Vajrapani (인왕상, 仁王像).
Eight Deva Guardians(팔부신장)
Inside the antechamber, on both walls, there are statues of the Eight Deva Guardians (팔부신장, 八部神將). These statues are less detailed compared to the other statues inside the grotto.
Stone Chamber
Structure
From the front room, you pass through a corridor to reach the stone chamber, which is a circular stone grotto. The ceiling is domed and covered with earth on the outside.
The width is about 6.7 meters from side to side, about 6.6 meters from front to back, and the entrance is 3.35 meters wide.
Ceiling Capstone
According to the “Samguk Yusa” (삼국유사), when Kim Dae-seong was making the ceiling capstone, it broke into three pieces. Kim Dae-seong was so frustrated that he fell asleep. That night, a heavenly god (천신, 天神) came down and assembled the broken capstone to complete the ceiling.
In photos, you can see that the capstone is actually in three pieces.
Grotto Next to Seokguram
Next to Seokguram (석굴암), there is a grotto with a path that is said to connect to the Tomb of King Munmu (문무왕릉, 文武王陵).
Restoration Work on the Grotto
Japanese Colonial Period
- 1907: There is a story that Seokguram (석굴암) was forgotten for a long time until it was discovered by a Japanese mailman passing through Tohamsan (토함산). However, according to testimonies from local elders in 1962, at that time Seokguram was known as Jogasa (조가절, 趙家寺) and ordinary people continued to offer incense and food there. The Japanese used the mailman’s “discovery” as an excuse to damage the grotto and remove cultural artifacts.
The workforce mobilized by the Japanese for the restoration of Seokguram included civil engineers who were laying railroad tracks. They began repairing the grotto like they would a railway tunnel.
- 1910: A spring was discovered near the grotto. The spring flowed under the grotto at a rate of 1 liter every 10 seconds throughout the year, controlling the humidity. The cooler water from the spring would flow below the grotto, naturally managing the humidity by condensing moisture only below. However, the Japanese later ignored this natural humidity control.
- October 1913: Wooden scaffolding was installed in the ceiling of the grotto to prepare for the dismantling work.
- 1914: The main work began, and the grotto was completely dismantled.
- September 1915: The main construction was completed. To reinforce the stone walls, 30.3 cm (about 1 foot) of cement was applied behind them.
- 1917: Water began to seep into the floor and ceiling due to leakage and humidity.
- 1920-1923: Major re-restoration work was carried out to waterproof the ceiling.
- 1927: Steam cleaning was done to remove the green moss caused by moisture.
Republic of Korea (South Korea)
- 1947, 1953, 1957: High-pressure steam was used to clean the Buddha statues. As a result, rock powder fell from Seokguram, causing damage.
- Completion Ceremony for Restoration Work in 1964
- 1961-1963: Extensive restoration work began. A meter of concrete was added to the concrete wall built by the Japanese, and then a concrete dome was built over it, covered with soil. A wooden structure was built in front of Seokguram, blocking the skylights and niches in the ceiling. Despite installing underground drainage facilities, the humidity problem remained unresolved.
- 1966: Professor Kim Hyo-kyung of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Seoul National University installed ventilation fans on the right side of Seokguram. This marked the beginning of mechanical control of humidity and temperature.
- 1970: A front roof was rebuilt and glass was installed at the entrance. Dehumidifiers were used to maintain a constant indoor humidity.
- Present: Entry is prohibited for the general public. Only on Buddha’s Birthday is the interior of Seokguram open to the public each year.
In April 10, 1972, the Bank of Korea approved and completed the issuance process for the 10,000 won banknote featuring the Main Buddha Statue of Seokguram on the front and the panoramic view of Bulguksa Temple on the back, scheduled for release on June 1, 1972. However, this plan faced objections from the Christian community, who argued that the Bank of Korea was favoring a particular religion, and from the Buddhist community, who pointed out that depicting the sacred Buddha statue on widely circulated currency would diminish its sanctity. As a result of this controversy, the Bank of Korea postponed the release of the 10,000 won banknote originally planned for June 1, 1972, to March 1973, and decided to change the design to feature a portrait of King Sejong on the front and the Geunjeongjeon Hall of Gyeongbokgung Palace on the back. Consequently, the 5,000 won banknote was issued on July 1, 1972, ahead of the 10,000 won banknote. However, the 10,000 won banknote issued on June 12, 1973, revealed a hidden image of the Bodhisattva statue from Seokguram Temple when exposed to bright light. This indicates that although the Bank of Korea originally planned to issue the 10,000 won banknote featuring Seokguram and Bulguksa Temple in 1972, it was abandoned due to religious opposition, and the design was changed to depict King Sejong and Gyeongbokgung Palace, resulting in its issuance in 1973. Since then, the Bank of Korea has been issuing the 10,000 won banknote featuring a portrait of King Sejong on the front.