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Seoul designates 3 Buddhist scriptures as tangible cultural properties

Seoul designates 3 Buddhist scriptures as tangible cultural properties

Posted June. 18, 2015 07:23,   

한국어

The Seoul Metropolitan Government on Wednesday designated three 14th century Buddhist scriptures as the city`s tangible cultural properties. The scriptures are the Saddharmapundarika Sutra (The Lotus Sutra) in Gold on Indigo Paper Volume 1, the Saddharmapundarika Sutra Volumes 1-3 and the Essence of Zen Buddhism that were printed during the late Goryeo and early Joseon dynasties. They are important documents in studying the woodblock printing techniques and Hunminjeongeum, the Korean alphabetical system created by King Sejong the Great in 1443.

The Saddharmapundarika Sutra in Gold on Indigo Paper, which is housed at Simtaek Temple in northern Seoul, is a Goryeo Dynasty woodblock-printed Buddhist scripture. The scripture is extremely valuable because it is the oldest Saddharmapundarika Sutra remaining in Korea and includes an illustration of Sakyamuni delivering a sermon.

The Essence of Zen Buddhism, which describes 10 ways of practicing Zen by an eminent monk of the Tang Dynasty in China, is also considered a highly important document in studying Hunminjeongeum, as King Sejo (1417-1468, reign 1455-1468) add Korean endings to classical Chinese phrases in person and prominent Buddhist monks translated the original Chinese text.

With the latest additions, Seoul`s municipal cultural properties totals 513.



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