Among the valuable cultural heritages of the Korean nation is the "80,000 Blocks of the Complete Collection of Buddhist Scriptures" published during the Koryo Dynasty which existed between 918 and 1392.
The "80,000 Blocks of the Complete Collection of Buddhist Scriptures" were known as a collection of Buddhist books which embraced the Buddhist scriptures and other relevant books. More than 80,000 blocks were engraved on wood and hence the name. They were also called the "Koryo Tripitaka" as they were published during the Koryo Dynasty.
The publication of the Tripitaka started in Koryo in the first half of the 11th century.
The first Tripitaka was engraved on wood and published in 1087. In the latter half of the 12th century, the second one was engraved on wood to be supplemented. But the wooden blocks were burnt to ashes by foreign aggressors in 1231.
The work to engrave on wood and publish them began in 1236 again and was finished in 1251. The Tripitaka published at that time is called the "80,000 Blocks of the Complete Collection of Buddhist Scriptures" which have been handed down up to date.
The "80,000 Blocks of the Complete Collection of Buddhist Scriptures" were known as a collection of Buddhist books which embraced the Buddhist scriptures and other relevant books. More than 80,000 blocks were engraved on wood and hence the name. They were also called the "Koryo Tripitaka" as they were published during the Koryo Dynasty.
The publication of the Tripitaka started in Koryo in the first half of the 11th century.
The first Tripitaka was engraved on wood and published in 1087. In the latter half of the 12th century, the second one was engraved on wood to be supplemented. But the wooden blocks were burnt to ashes by foreign aggressors in 1231.
The work to engrave on wood and publish them began in 1236 again and was finished in 1251. The Tripitaka published at that time is called the "80,000 Blocks of the Complete Collection of Buddhist Scriptures" which have been handed down up to date.
In those days printers used Machilus thunbergii, paktal and birch trees as materials for wood blocks. They would put the wood into seawater for a certain period to get the resin out of it before drying it well in a bid to prevent the wood from being cracked and rotten. Wooden pillars were put on the ends of both sides of the wooden blocks to keep them from being twisted while four corners of them were wrapped up with bronze band lest they should be worn-out. The surface of the wooden blocks was lacquered to keep it from being mothy.
Every wooden block is 69.6 centimetres long, 24 centimetres wide and 3.7 centimetres thick. Carved on it were the year of composition, the title of scriptures, the name of woodcutters and the number of books to the convenience of library catalog and reading.
Here is Ri Chun Sop, Section Chief of the National Classics Institute under the Academy of Social Sciences.
"It is said that from olden times, the countries where Buddhist scriptures were spread made the Complete Collection of Buddhist Scriptures with wooden blocks more than 20 times. But only the '80,000 Blocks of the Complete Collection of Buddhist Scriptures' preserve themselves as they are.
Historically, the wood blocks and block books of the complete collections of Buddhist scriptures published by neighbouring countries before the appearance of the '80,000 Blocks of the Complete Collection of Buddhist Scriptures' have been scattered in different places. Only some of them are now being handed down and moreover, the engraved letters and engraved plates were worn away, making it difficult to clearly discern the letters. The wood blocks of the '80,000 Blocks of the Complete Collection of Buddhist Scriptures', however, have been used a lot for printing of the complete collection since its composition and the block book has been preserved as it was, making it possible to hand down 81,137 wood blocks and a large amount of the complete collection of Buddhist scriptures consisting of 6,793 volumes of 1,537 kinds as they are."
Every wooden block is 69.6 centimetres long, 24 centimetres wide and 3.7 centimetres thick. Carved on it were the year of composition, the title of scriptures, the name of woodcutters and the number of books to the convenience of library catalog and reading.
Here is Ri Chun Sop, Section Chief of the National Classics Institute under the Academy of Social Sciences.
"It is said that from olden times, the countries where Buddhist scriptures were spread made the Complete Collection of Buddhist Scriptures with wooden blocks more than 20 times. But only the '80,000 Blocks of the Complete Collection of Buddhist Scriptures' preserve themselves as they are.
Historically, the wood blocks and block books of the complete collections of Buddhist scriptures published by neighbouring countries before the appearance of the '80,000 Blocks of the Complete Collection of Buddhist Scriptures' have been scattered in different places. Only some of them are now being handed down and moreover, the engraved letters and engraved plates were worn away, making it difficult to clearly discern the letters. The wood blocks of the '80,000 Blocks of the Complete Collection of Buddhist Scriptures', however, have been used a lot for printing of the complete collection since its composition and the block book has been preserved as it was, making it possible to hand down 81,137 wood blocks and a large amount of the complete collection of Buddhist scriptures consisting of 6,793 volumes of 1,537 kinds as they are."
The "80,000 Blocks of the Complete Collection of Buddhist Scriptures" have been kept in the Myohyangsan History Museum, the Pohyon Temple of Mt. Myohyang.