Hwangnyongsa Temple Site, Gyeongju

About this place

Hwangnyongsa was a Silla-era temple established in the 6th century that was destroyed by the Mongol invasion in the 13th century; today only the vast foundation stones remain. It is estimated to have been a colossal complex eight times the size of Bulguksa, covering 8,800 pyeong (approximately 29,000 m²). Construction began by royal decree in 553, the 14th year of King Jinheung, with the principal halls completed by 566 and the main golden hall in 584, the 6th year of King Jinpyeong. The nine-storey wooden pagoda — one of the three great treasures of Silla — was completed in 645, the 14th year of Queen Seondeok, on the recommendation of the monk Jajang who had studied in Tang China. It was built by the Baekje master carpenter Abiji in three years. The central pillar base stone (simseokcheok) from where the pagoda stood still remains. According to the founding records, King Jinheung intended to build a new palace east of Wolseong, but witnessed a yellow dragon soaring into the sky from the site and ordered it converted into a temple instead, naming it Hwangnyongsa (Temple of the Yellow Dragon). As a national temple, it received frequent royal visits and held the premier position among Silla's state temples. In 1238 (25th year of King Gojong) the Mongol armies burned the entire complex to the ground. Between 1969 and 1984, extensive excavations revealed the unique one-pagoda three-golden-hall layout and recovered over 40,000 artefacts. A Hwangnyongsa History and Culture Centre now stands adjacent to the site, with a one-tenth-scale replica model of the nine-storey wooden pagoda on display.