Seokgatap
| Seokgatap | |
 |
|
| Korean name | |
|---|---|
| Hangul | 석가탑 |
| Hanja | 釋迦塔 |
| Revised Romanization | Seokgatap |
| McCune–Reischauer | Sŏkkat'ap |
Seokgatap (Sakyamuni Pagoda) is a stone pagoda in South Korea designated as the 21st National Treasure on December 12, 1962. Its full name is Sakyamuni Yeoraesangjuseolbeop Tap, and is sometimes referred to as the Shadowless Pagoda or the Bulguksa Samcheung Seoktap ("three-storied stone pagoda of Bulguksa").
The pagoda stands 8.2 meters high, directly across from Dabotap within the Bulguksa Temple complex in Gyeongju, South Korea. It probably dates to around 751, when Bulguksa was completed.
The Seokgatap pagoda is in distinct contrast with its more elaborate brother the Dabotap. The pagoda is of a very simple and basic design and the three stories have a pleasing 4:3:2 ratio which gives the pagoda a sense of balance, stability, and symmetry. The contrast between the simplicity of the Seokgatap and the complexity of the Dabotap is designed to represent the dual nature of the Buddha's contemplation and detachment from the world or perhaps it symbolizes the celestial versus the terrestrial. The pagoda's three stories rest on a two tiered base. The simplicity of the pagoda is reinforced by the fact that there are no carvings or reliefs on the faces of the pagoda. Although, the pagoda is surrounded by eight lotus flower stones. The top of the pagoda, which is rather elaborate, was added in 1973 to match a pagoda that was built one hundred years after Seokgatap.
Asadal was an outstanding stonemason of Baekje who was brought to Silla to build Dabotap and Seokgatap. After several years with no news of her husband, Asadal's young wife went to Seorabeol to find him. However, she was prevented from entering Bulguksa Temple due to the rule that women were not allowed inside until the pagodas were finished. Feeling sorry for the woman wandering the temple surroundings, one monk told Asadal's wife that she would be able to see the pagoda's shadow in the pond once it was completed. However, there was no shadow visible on the pond's surface. Upon hearing rumors that Asadal intended to marry a Silla princess, his wife threw herself into the pond and drowned. By the time Asadal reached the pond after completing the pagoda, his wife was already dead. In tears, Asadal engraved an image of his wife onto a rock before returning home to Baekje. Afterward, Seokgatap was named the "Shadowless Pagoda" because its shadow was not visible on the pond, while the pond in which Asadal's wife drowned herself was named "Shadow Pond."
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