80 000 Blocks of the Complete Collection of Buddhist Scriptures–Historical Relic of Korea

80 000 Blocks of the Complete Collection of Buddhist Scriptures–Historical Relic of Korea

Preserved in the Pohyon Temple in Mt Myohyang is the Complete Collection of Buddhist Scriptures printed with 80 000 wooden blocks, which showcases the printing technology of the Korean nation. 

It is an encyclopaedia of Buddhism, compiled on the basis of various scriptures and other books on Buddhism of the days of Koryo (918-1392), the first unified state of Korea. It is also called the Koryo Collection of Buddhist Scriptures as it was printed in the days of Koryo.

The first copy, printed in the first half of the 11th century, was burnt by foreign invaders. Later, from 1236 to 1251, another copy, which consists of 6 793 volumes of 1 539 kinds, was printed. This is the copy that still remains.

At that time, woodcraft workers made the wooden blocks with birch and other kinds of trees, embossed on each block 23 lines of letters, each line consisting of 14 letters, fixed a bronze belt with a nail on each corner of the block, reinforced both edges so that it would not become twisted, and painted lacquer on the block as a moth deterrent. 

For their delicateness, wooden blocks look like a fine sculpture. 

The collection, recognized as the standard one among the many of its kinds, is a national treasure of the Korean nation as well as a cultural asset of the world.