The Construction of Buddhist Temples in the Three Kingdoms and the Transformation of Capital City Landscapes

This study provides a preliminary examination of the process through which Buddhist temples emerged following the decline of the Gaozuka Kofun in the ancient Three Kingdoms of Korea. As the Three Kingdoms constructed large-scale temples, pagodas, and Buddhist statues in competitive efforts, they developed new capital city landscapes distinct from the earlier construction of burial mounds. Based on accumulated research findings, this paper outlines the initial establishment and proliferation of Buddhist temples during the adoption of Buddhism in Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla. In Chapter II, the process of accepting Buddhism in the Three Kingdoms and the appearance of temples being contrasted for the first time were reviewed. In Goguryeo, temples such as Seongmun Temple and Ibeuran Temple are presumed to have been built near Gungnae Fortress, although no related evidence has been discovered. However, the example of the first temple site at Goseong Village suggests the possible existence of provincial temples. In Baekje, a Buddhist temple was built in Hansan in 385 AD, with the rammed earth platform unearthed at Mongchon Fortress drawing significant attention. Artifacts associated with the site of Daetongsa Temple discovered in Banjuk-dong, Gongju, provide clues to Baekje's systematic construction of Buddhist temple complexes. In Silla, tiles found at Gyeongju Technical High School reveal a connection between Heungnyun Temple and Baekje-Southern Dynasties influences. Chapter III examines the expansion of temples within the capital cities of Baekje and Silla. In the early 6th century, both kingdoms implemented Buddhist statecraft policies modeled on Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty. This led to the construction of national temples such as Jeongnimsa Temple in Baekje and Hwangnyongsa Temple in Silla. Located at key points within their respective capitals, these temples became symbolic landmarks representing royal authority. The Three Kingdoms actively engaged in various Buddhist rituals centered on relics, with offerings unearthed from pagodas providing vivid evidence of these practices. Examples include temple sites like Jeongneungsa Temple in Goguryeo and Nungsanri Temple in Baekje, where temple complexes were integrated with royal tombs, illustrating the concept of the “tomb-temple”. Other notable cases, such as Jeseoksa Temple and Busosansaji Temple in Baekje, and Cheonjusa Temple, also known as Naeteiseokgung, in Silla, highlight the emergence of inner sanctuaries. These large-scale temples constructed in capital cities conferred sanctity upon the kings and royal families, transforming the capitals into Buddhist sacred spaces imbued with religious symbolism.