8. Josadang Hall of Buseoksa Temple

[Man]
Josadang Hall of Buseoksa Temple is a wooden building believed to have been built during the late Goryeo Dynasty or the early Joseon Dynasty. Inside the hall, the statue of Uisang, the founder of Buseoksa Temple, is enshrined. Originally, there were six murals on the wall, including the those of the Four Guardian Kings, King Sakra or Indra, and Brahma-Deva, but they are now displayed at Bojanggak House, an exhibition hall for relics. There is an ancient legend about the Josadang House.


[Villager 1]
"So that caragana root over there is the cane of the Buddhist monk Uisang?”

[Villager 2]
"That's what I've heard. The Ecological Guide to Korea records that when the cane of the Buddhist monk Uisang was stuck into the ground under the eaves, it sprouted and came to life.”

[Villager 1]
"That's amazing."

[Villager 2]
"I also heard that the caragana root only looks toward the sunlight and the moonlight, and blooms without any dew or rain.”

[Villager 1]
“That's absurd. I don't believe you.”

[Villager 2]
"A woman named Seonmyo has become a stone dragon and protects Buseoksa Temple. Maybe the Buddhist monk Uisang couldn't leave this place cold-heartedly, so he became a tree to remain here.” He couldn't leave his loved one alone."

[Villager 1]
“That's romantic. Wanting to stay together even after his death.”

[Villager 2]
"By the way, that caragana root didn't bloom during the late Joseon period and the Japaneses occupation.

[Villager 1]
"No flowers bloomed?"

[Villager 2]
"That's right. They say it blossomed 30 years after the liberation."

[Villager 1]
"Really?"

[Villager 2]
"The caragana root is also called the scholar flower, and its bloom is known to display a sign of national prosperity and peace."

[Villager 1]
“That's really amazing,”

[Woman]
The Four Guardian Kings refers to the four guardian gods who protect the Buddhist Dharma. Normally located at the entrance to the temple, the Four Guardian Kings were originally the kings of ghosts who were revered in ancient Indian religions, but they converted to Buddhism and became the guardians of the Buddhist Dharma. They lived on the hillside of Sumisan Mountain with their followers and were assigned to protect the four directions of east, west, north, and south. The Four Guardian Kings consist of King Dhrtarastra, King Virupaksa, King Virudhaka, and King Vaisravana, who protect the east, west, south, and north, respectively. They are usually enshrined in the Cheonwangmun Gate, but it is also depicted as gods in the Buddhist paintings hanging behind the main Buddha statue in the Dharma Hall for the Buddha and Bodhisattvas.

[Man]
King Sakra is a guardian spirit, meaning the king of Kausika Heaven in Buddhism. According to the Buddhist world view, Sumisan Mountain stands at the center of the world, and there is a sky called Kausika Heaven at the top. King Sakra is known to lead the Four Guardian Kings and 32 surrounding guardians while staying in an enchanted castle. Not only does he defend the Buddhist Dharma and protect those who convert to Buddhism, but he also punishes an army of Asura, the giant demon-spirits. Ancient Koreans regarded the master of heaven and King Sakra as one. The original belief in Hanul, or the one God, was spread only as a folk belief because it was contrary to the Buddhist stance of denying any sole creator.

[Woman]
It is not certain as to when Josadang Hall of Buseoksa Temple was founded. In 1916, it was dismantled and repaired, and at the time, a calligraphy writing recording of the construction in the Goryeo Dynasty and the early Joseon Dynasty was found in a ridge beam support. According to the calligraphy written in the ridge beam support, Buddhist monk Woneung Guksa rebuilt the building in 1377, and reconstructed it in 1490. Since then, Josadang Hall has only been partially repaired, without any major changes. In 1985, the mural was copied and restored.

[Man]
Josadang Hall of Buseoksa Temple is built on a hill to the northeast of Muryangsujeon Hall. It is a small building with 3 sections in the front and 1 in the side, and it is a building where all bracket systems are placed above the center of the pillars. Because the building itself is small, its detailed style is concise compared to that of Muryangsujeon Hall in the compound. The front center section has a door and wide windows on the left and right sides to bring in light. The floor of the building was originally covered with bricks, but now floorboards have been installed to make it more convenient for visitors to pay respects.