Tongdosa Temple Great Hero Hall

SOUTH KOREA, South Gyeongsang, Yangsan

Although the exact year of construction is unknown, the hall was built during the Unified Silla dynasty (668–935), and was rebuilt in 1644 during the Joseon dynasty. It was listed as National Treasure No. 290 in 1997.
The three-by-five bay hall stands on a 1 m high base platform facing south. It has elaborate bracket sets supporting the roof. The roof ridge is T-shaped instead of the usual straight-line ridge. Four horizontal boards hang from the four sides, reading “Nirvana Hall” on the north, “Great Hero Hall” on the east, “Vajra Ordination Platform” on the south, and “Hall of Great Vastness” on the west side. The hall enshrines the Buddha relic and monastic robe brought back by Master Jajang from China.
The two-tier ordination platform to the south of the hall covers a wide area. The upper tier is carved with apsaras making offerings to the relics, and the lower tier is covered with Buddha and Bodhisattva images, together with the Four Heavenly Kings protecting the platform at the four corners. On the lotus base in the center, there is a 150 cm high bell-shape stupa, sculpted with reliefs of apsaras and reliquaries. During a recent reconstruction, stone gates, balustrades, and lanterns were added around the platform.