Haeinsa Temple Janggyeong Panjeon, the Depositories for the Tripitaka Koreana Woodblocks, Buddhist temple complex in South Gyeongsang, South Korea.
Haeinsa Temple's Janggyeong Panjeon is a Buddhist temple complex in South Gyeongsang housing four rectangular halls filled with carved wooden blocks of scriptures. The buildings stand close together and contain thousands of meticulously arranged wooden boards stacked from floor to ceiling.
The temple began in 802 when two monks returned from China and construction started with royal backing. The wooden blocks were carved over several decades during the Goryeo Dynasty as a major scholarly project.
The wooden blocks represent a complete record of Buddhist knowledge that shaped religious practice across East Asia for centuries. Visitors come to witness how this collection connected communities through shared spiritual teachings.
The four halls are built in a layout that allows for natural air circulation, making exploration comfortable and easy to navigate. Walking between the buildings involves moving along established paths, so regular footwear works fine for a full visit.
The four halls use an ancient passive ventilation system built into their design that protects the wooden blocks from moisture damage without any modern technology. This clever building method has worked for centuries to keep the collection in good condition naturally.
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