Buddhist Relics

Chungangt'ap
The seven story stone pagoda, designated as National Treasure No.6, is located in Ch'ungju, North Chungchong Province. T'appyong-ri is an ancient temple site, but the temple's name and history is not accurately known today.

Various convex roof end tiles dating from the Three Kingdoms period were also found here. Especially, the roof end tiles dating from the Kokuryo Kingdom period were the only ones excavated in the entire country. The tiles have a lotus motif, and are valuable historical materials.

Yongguksa

Standing at the foot of Ch'ontaesam mountain, this is a representative temple of the Yongdong district. It is, particularly, famous because of the stele to Buddhist priest, Won-gak-kuksa, the founder of Ch'ontaejong. It is difficult to determine exactly when this temple was founded, though it is believed to have been set up in the second half of the eleventh century.

This date is based on the period of the foundation of this temple and by the bases of the stupa and the three story stone pagoda. It has been said that this temple was originally erected on the ground higher than the present Taeunjon, Buddha statue Hall, so fragments of Ch'ongja celadon, Paekcha white porcelain were excavated at the old site.

The present Yongguksa temple is on a small scale when compared to those of Taeunjon, Sansinkak and Yosa. But, it has many important properties.

Popchusa
Popchusa is a temple built by Uishinchosa under the rule of King Chinhung. It preserves Daeungchon which is one of the Korean Buddhist images, Palsangchon(National Treasure No. 55), Sach'onwangsokdung(Treasure No.15), Wont'ongbochon(Treasure No. 916) and Sokryonji (Treasure No. 64), etc.

In particular, there is the Ch'uryaeam, a huge rock that had fallen from a hill behind the Popchusa, and an iron pot one meter deep that was supposedly used to cook for three thousand Buddhist priests and some new bronze Buddhist images.