In spite of unstable social and political circumstances in the early period of Koryeo dynasty, the Buddhism achieved its active communications to a various kinds of social classes, so that it expanded a wide range of patrons from different social grou...
In spite of unstable social and political circumstances in the early period of Koryeo dynasty, the Buddhism achieved its active communications to a various kinds of social classes, so that it expanded a wide range of patrons from different social groups.
In addition to the instauration of Buddhism, the rising of the thought of Bi Bo on the basis of theories of geomancy(feng shui) and Do Cham, Mugujeonggwangdaedaranigyeong (Dharani sutra, 無垢淨光大陀羅尼經) and Jeonshinsarigyeong(全身舍利經) as building stupa sutras gave influences on the pagodas in the early period of Koryeo dynasty Stupa types of the period could be divided into a standard type and a non-standard one in terms of the forms of stylobate, the methods of assembling and the styles of roof stone. The Former type is sub-classified as a subtype of double stylobate, of single stylobate, of Baekje style assembling and of polygon. The latter is also categorized as a subtype of blue stone, of four lions, of brick imitation and Bohyeopin stone stupa. Periodical types could be clarified as 1 ,2 ,3 in the criteria of proposition, magnificence, the composition of materials, styles of roof stone and diminishing rates, which are based on the stupas with identified building years from historical materials and records of building stupa.
Stupas belonging to 1 show their taller shapes in the height of the first story to their upper level of stylobate, which mean to emphasize the part of stupa body. They hardly obtain magnificent elements, and consist of separated materials to compose the first story. Their roof stones are rather flat and out-reached more than fifty cm.
Proposition of stupas in type 2 possesses shorter first story than their stylobate, and Ansang or flower-type Ansang is mostly carved as a magnificent element. There is a certain tendency of simplification in composition of materials, characterized in combination of different functional parts such as roof stones and stupa bodies. Their roof stones are out-reached more or less than thirty cm, and have deep underthroating.
In type 3, the proposition appears similar to the stupas in type 2, but new styles of the first story could be found. They manifest propositions of square or of longer height to width, so that increase a sense of instability and upturning. Unlike the stupas in type 2, it is hard to find magnificent elements except Ansang which, however, is expanded to other parts of stupa as well as its exiting part of stylobate. In the roof stones, new attempts show up, for examples, wind-bell holes are decorated with flower shapes. Although the composition of materials is on the basis of a-single-stone-assembling, fresh methods of assembling in the first story and new forms of stylobate appear. The roof stones stretched twenty five to thirty cm out and their eaves are dropping. The base of roof stone tend to be ticker, which leads to make its shape lozenge.
In order to consider the total aspects of stupas in the early period of Koryeo, it is effective method to introduce diminishing rates. Using a formula of y=tanx, a flow in periodical types can be indicated, that is, eighty degree for the type 1(the value of y is 5.671), eighty three degree for the type 2(the value of y is 8.144), eighty five degree for the type 3(the value of y is 11.430) and, finally, eighty seven degree for the stupa type of the late period of Koryeo dynasty sampling from a five story stone stupa of Ma Gok Sa. According to these figures, there exits a certain tendency that stupas lost its sense of stability and seek for a sense of high-rising.
The mode of single stylobate, originated in local areas from the late period of Unified Shinra, dominate over the of whole era of Koryeo, and H typed assembling take the place of common method. Buddha statue pedestal typed stylobate appears in polygon typed stone stupas and blue stone stupas, and its mixture with step-typed stylobate also gave its impact on other types, mainly in the stupas of polygon and blue stone.
In stupas of the early period of Koryeo, lotus leaves patterns are applied in different forms to ones in the period of Unified Shinra, of which patterns are elaborated in either a type of separated base stone or of single Gap stone(甲石). In terms of pillars, a various forms of attachment, single or multiple, are turned up. In shorts, the characteristics of the stupas in the early period of Koryeo could be summed up to a assembling method of inside down curving, showing up expression of eaves, elaborating flower-type An Sang, and magnificence of Munbi. This sort of variety can be found in gilt bronze stupas, metal crafts, therefore, it is not hard to recognize that the types of forms were mutually and widely shared at that time.
The stupa type of Baekje style assembling is constructed only in the area ruled by the Later Baekje. A five story stone stupa in Biin is classified into a earlier period work in senses of proposition and composition, and it is somewhat distinguished from the later works.
The type of polygon is mainly located in Pyongyang and the shore along with Daedong River, and holds the mixture of Buddha statue pedestal typed stylobate and stair typed one. It shares inter-influences with other types of stone stupas, a octagonal nine story stone stupa of Weol Jeong Sa could be assumed to be built in a different time, as its stylobate is composed in a distinguished manner to the above mentioned polygons. Types of four lions and blue stone are erected national widely mainly from the period Ⅱ, in which various types of stupas full blown started to be built.
In the early period of Koryeo Dynasty, Buddhism was once again flourished and so was stone stupas. This dissertation aims to address a flow of stupa types in the period, to clarified its characteristics and to elaborat the crucial meaning of the periodical types in the history of stone stupas.