Heritage authority cites rare 16th-century Buddhist hall design, gabled roof structure as key factors
Daegwangjeon hall at Sinansa temple in Nami-myeon, Geumsan-gun, is set to receive national recognition after being formally proposed for designation as a national treasure.
South Chungcheong Province announced Friday that the hall had been put forward for designation as a nationally designated cultural heritage property — a treasure — following years of conservation work and academic investigation into its historical and artistic value. The hall was first designated a South Chungcheong Province tangible cultural heritage property in 1973, and a ridge-beam inscription discovered during dismantling and repair work in 2006 confirmed that it was rebuilt in 1638 and underwent further restoration in 1840.
A dendrochronological analysis conducted in 2023 dated the hall's original construction to 1583, establishing it as a structure that preserves the architectural form of 16th-century Buddhist halls.
The building spans five bays across the front and three bays on the sides, featuring a gabled roof with a multi-bracket system that extends bracket sets to the side facades as well.
Particularly notable is the finding that the hall was built with a gabled roof from the outset — unlike most multi-bracket gabled Buddhist halls, which were typically converted to that form in later periods. This makes the structure exceptionally rare in Korean architectural history.
The Cultural Heritage Administration said it decided to propose the treasure designation after weighing several factors: the hall's clear representation of early Buddhist hall architecture from the late 16th to early 17th century, the preservation of a large number of original structural members despite multiple rounds of repair, and the rarity of its architectural form combined with its structural integrity.
The proposal will be open for public comment for 30 days, after which the National Heritage Committee will review the case before making a final decision on the designation.
"The proposal to designate Geumsan's Sinansa Daegwangjeon as a national treasure is a meaningful achievement that reflects national recognition of the historical and academic value of South Chungcheong Province's cultural heritage," said Jo Il-gyo, the province's director general of culture, sports and tourism. "We will work with the Cultural Heritage Administration and Geumsan-gun to strengthen systematic conservation and management, and expand the foundation for using this heritage site to drive regional development and tourism."
kwonhl@heraldcorp.com
