Jeoseksa Temple Site in lksan 익산 제석사지 益山帝釋寺址

Wooden Stupa Remains at Jeseoksa Temple Site

 

익산 제석사지 益山帝釋寺址
Jeseoksa Temple Site in lksan

사적 제 405호
Historic Site No. 405

 

This is a place where King Mu of the Baekje Dynasty built a Buddhist temple worshipping the sculpture of Indra, Guardian of the Buddhist Law, near the palace after moving the capital of his dynasty to Wanggungpyeong. According to records, the temple was burnt to the ground due to lightning in 639, the 40th year of the reign of King Mu. 

 

The Diamond Sutra, a Buddhist scripture engraved on copper plates, and the bones of Buddha -- both of which placed under a stone pagoda -- were safe. After the fire, the temple was rebuilt, and the Diamond Sutra and the bones of Buddha were placed in a safe place again.

 

The name of the temple was brought to the fore after a broken roof tile with the phrase “Jeseoksa” written on it was found in the area believed to have been the site of the temple.

 

This temple site has attracted attention because the artifacts excavated from the site are very similar to those found in 1965 from the pagoda in the fortress in Wanggungpyeong, believed to be the palace of King Mu during the Baekje Dynasty.

 

The temple site contains very important historic remains that are helpful for research on the history of the Baekje Dynasty in several aspects: first, it is one of the few temple sites of the Baekje Dynasty; second, the dates when it was built and destroyed are clear; third, it is obviously related to the palace site in Wanggungpyeong built by King Mu; fourth, a concave roof-end tile was found from the site for the first time among the remains from the Baekje Dynasty.

 

是位于百济武王为了迁都于王宫坪而建的宫殿附近的寺址，寺内主要供奉着佛教守护神帝释天等佛像。作为为数不多的百济寺址，可以通过文献记录了解到建寺年代与废寺年代，寺址与武王时代的王宫坪遗址相关、在百济遗址中首次出土的滴水等事实，这些发现为研究百济史提供了重要的资料。

 

百済武王は首都を王宮坪に移すために宮を建てたが、その近くに仏教の守護神である帝釈天を中心仏像として祀った寺の跡である。数少ない百済の寺の跡で、文献の記録から寺を建立した時期と廃寺になった年代が分かる点、武王の時の王宮坪遺跡との関連性、百済の遺跡としては初めて平瓦が出たという点などから、百済史の研究において重要な資料を提供している。

 

백제 무왕이 수도를 왕궁평王宮坪으로 옮기려고 지은 궁궐 근처에 불교의 수호신인 제석천을 중심 불상으로 모신 절이 있던 자리이다.

기록에 의하면 무왕 40년(639)에 벼락으로 절이 모조리 불에 탔을 때 탑 아래 넣어 두었던 동판에 새긴 금강반야경과 불사리만은 보존되어 다시 절을 지은 후 보관하였다고 한다. 탑터로 생각되는 지역에서 제석사라고 적힌 기와조각이 발견됨으로써 절의 이름이 밝혀졌다. 주목되는 점은 1965년 백제 무왕의 궁터라고 전하는 왕궁평 성안의 석탑에서 발견한 유물과 이곳에서 발견된 유물이 비슷하다는 점이다.

몇 안 되는 백제 절터로서 문헌기록에서 절을 지은 시기와 폐허가 된 연대를 알 수 있다는 점, 무왕대의 왕궁평 유적과의 관련성, 백제 유적으로는 처음으로 암막새가 나왔다는 사실로 백제사 연구에 중요한 자료를 제공한다.

 

 

익산 제석사지(益山帝釋寺址/Jeseoksa Temple Site in lksan)