Exhibition Marks 1,000th Anniversary of the First Tripitaka

KOREAN TIMES
By Chung Ah-young

Tripitaka is on display at the Horim Museum, Seoul, South Korea

KOREA - This year marks the 1,000th year of the engraving “Chojo Daejanggyeong” (the First Edition of the Tripitaka Koreana), on which work was begun in 1011, during the second year of the reign of King Hyeonjong, and completed in 1087 in the Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392). To commemorate the occasion, the Horim Museum is holding a special exhibition to display some 100 printed papers of the woodblocks and related items, including four national treasures at its Sinsa and Sillim branches.

The exhibition shows the essence of Buddhist culture and its printing technology of Goryeo through the early Tripitaka. Tripitaka refers to a collection of Buddhist sutra known as the records of Buddha’s teaching. It was the second Tripitaka translated into Chinese characters in the world and it retains historical value as it includes a vast amount of content as the longest Chinese-language scriptures. Chojo Daejanggyeong is the first Tripitaka in Korea, which was made to repel the Khitan invaders in the 11th century. It was stored in Heungwang Temple and moved to Buin Temple. Only the printed papers exist as the woodblocks were destroyed by Mongolian troops in 1232. [link]