The Buddha Triad with Many Untold Stories and Wooden Triad Tablet

When you enter the Daeungjeon, or the main building of the temple, you won't fail to notice the overwhelming presence of the Buddha Triad. Over five meters tall, they’re the biggest Buddha Triad in Korea.

A written record of the three Buddha statues was found inside one of them. It turned out to be a historical record of the Joseon Dynasty. At the time, China demanded Korea to become its tributary states and pay regular tribute to the emperor of China. Injo, the king of the Joseon Dynasty at the time, saw no way out but to send his two sons to China as hostages. The two princes were held in captivity in China for eight years. The Buddha statues you see in front you were built to pray for their safe return home.

A legend has it that sweat rolled down the Buddha statues whenever something terrible happened in the country, because they were made when the dynasty was in one of the worst situations possible. If you take a closer look at the Buddha statues, you’ll see traces of their "sweat“.

Between the Buddha statues, you’ll see three elaborately designed tablets. They’re called the ‘Wooden Triad Tablet'. Buddhist priests often place a tablet inscribed with the names of the Buddha and bodhisattva on the Buddhist altar. However, these three tablets are inscribed with something different. Standing over two meters tall, the tablets are inscribed with a prayer of longevity for King Injo, his Queen Consort, and two princes.

In short, the Buddha Triad and Triad Tablet are a testament to the history of Songgwangsa Temple, and both the glorious and shameful times of the Joseon Dynasty.