홍천 괘석리 사사자 삼층석탑, Three-storied stone pagoda in Hongcheon, South Korea
The 홍천 괘석리 사사자 삼층석탑, also known as the Sasaja Three-storied Stone Pagoda, is a Goryeo-period stone pagoda now located in Hongcheon, Gangwon Province, South Korea, and designated a Treasure of the Republic of Korea. It sits on a two-tiered stone base and rises through three stacked levels, with four stone lions positioned around the upper section.
The pagoda was built during the Goryeo period, when Buddhism shaped much of the cultural and religious life on the Korean peninsula. It originally stood in the village of Gwaesokni in the Duchon area before being relocated to its current site in Hongcheon in 1969.
The name Sasaja means "four lions," referring directly to the stone lion figures carved at the upper level of the pagoda. Visitors today can walk around the structure and observe each lion closely, noting how their expressions and postures differ slightly from one another.
The pagoda is displayed outdoors near the Hongcheon township area and can be reached on foot from the town center. Informational signs are present on site, and the structure is accessible at any time without prior booking.
Although the pagoda has three stories, there is no interior space inside it. It is a solid stone construction, and the four lions at the top originally surrounded a lotus pedestal that is thought to have once supported a Buddha figure.
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