Mireuksaji Stone Pagoda

In 639, the site of Mireuksa was built during the late Baekje. It is the oldest and largest remaining stone pagoda in Korea. It is an important cultural property that faithfully shows the process of transitioning from wooden tower to stone pagoda. The extensive restoration process included removing the concrete support applied on the tower during Japanese colonization. The complete reconstruction of the long-gone East Pagoda, another stone pagoda which once stood at Mireuksa alongside the remaining stone pagoda (also called the West Pagoda), was finished in 1993 based on its counterpart's architecture. The reconstruction began in 1991 under the supervision of the Cultural Properties Bureau at the time of the Roh Tae Woo administration. The stone pagoda of Mireuksaji was once claimed to have had 7 floors originally, but during restoration, a supplementary material was found to indicate that the pagoda had 9 floors. The East Pagoda was rebuilt to have 9 floors accordingly and completed in 1993. However, the legitimacy of the reconstruction is still in dispute. == Structure ==

The short, single-stepped base of the pagoda is similar to the style of a wooden pagoda. The body of the pagoda was divided into three spaces on each side of the first floor, and a door was made in the middle of the room. Inside the center is a huge square pillar. On the first floor, four pillars were erected on each corner which demonstrate entasis, also used in Korean wooden architecture, featuring a narrow top and bottom in contrast to a convex center. On the pillars, pyeongbang and changbang were installed, which are the components that connect two pillars in wooden architecture. The roof slope is thin and wide, and it is raised up to four corners and raised slightly. From the second floor, the top becomes shallow, the expression of each part is simplified, and the roof is also reduced in width than the first floor. ==Restoration==

In 1915, it was repaired with cement to prevent the collapse of the tower during Japanese colonial period. However, in April 1994, the government decided to repair the damaged part because it was not beautiful and there was a risk of collapse. North Jeolla Province completed the basic process from 1998 to 2000, with the preparation for the repair of the Mireuksaji stone pagoda. Since October 2001, the National Institute of Cultural Properties has begun full-scale maintenance. The restoration was completed in June 2018. == Excavation ==

On January 14, 2009, the National Cultural Properties Research Institute of the Cultural Heritage Administration rehabilitated and restored the stone pagoda of Mireuksa Temple in Iksan. At that time, he found a martial art in the center of the upper surface of the pillar, named Sarijangeom (sarijang-eom, 사리장엄, 舍利莊嚴). They found a small bottle with a height of 13 cm and a shoulder width of 7.7 cm. As a result of inspecting the inside with X-ray, it was confirmed that it is composed of a double structure of inner and outer box. The variety of patterns and handwork techniques on the surface of Sariho show the excellence of Baekje Metal Craft. The inscription, in the original Classical Chinese, reads: :(front) :竊以法王出世隨機赴 :感應物現身如水中月 :是以託生王宮示滅雙 :樹遺形八斛利益三千 :遂使光曜五色行遶七 :遍神通變化不可思議 :我百濟王后佐平沙乇 :積德女種善因於曠劫 :受勝報於今生撫育萬 :民棟梁三寶故能謹捨 :淨財造立伽藍以己亥 :(rear) :年正月卄九日奉迎舍 :利願使世世供養劫劫 :無盡用此善根仰資大 :王陛下年壽與山岳齊 :固寶曆共地同久上弘 :正法下化蒼生又願王 :后卽身心同水鏡照法 :界而恒明身若金剛等 :虛空而不滅七世久遠 :并蒙福利凡是有心俱 :成佛道 Roughly translated into English, this becomes, == References ==