Flagpole Supports at Iksan Mireuksaji Temple Site

About this place

Flagpole supports (dangganjiju) are stone pillars erected at the entrance of a temple to hold a tall pole (danggan) from which a banner (dang) is flown during ceremonies and rituals. Two pairs of supports stand about 90 m apart on the southern side of the Mireuksaji site; their equal size, style, and construction technique indicate they were erected at the same time. The foundation platforms supporting the pillars are almost entirely destroyed and buried underground, only barely visible. The pillars themselves are preserved in their original state; the inner-facing surfaces have no special decoration. On the outer surfaces, a band runs along the edge with a single central band carved inside it. Three holes are bored into the inner face of each pillar to keep the flagpole steady — the topmost hole is rectangular, the others round. These relatively unadorned, neatly formed pillars are estimated to have been made after the mid-Unified Silla period. Similar examples include the Flagpole Supports at Yeongju Suksusa Temple Site and Yeongju Buseoksa Temple Site, both National Treasures.