change.

When Seon (Zen) Buddhism was first introduced to Korea around Korea’s late Silla and early Goryeo eras, the function of the “beopdang” (Dharma hall) was transfused to the lecture hall found in ancient Buddhist temples, establishing a pivotal area within the temple compound called the “upper monastic area.” By exploring the structural formation and dissolution of the upper monastic area, the author shows how Korea established its own distinctive Seon temples, unlike those of China and Japan, in the course of assimilating a newly-introduced foreign culture as its own. To accomplish this, the author analyzed the inscriptions on stone monuments which recorded the lives of eminent monks and also numerous excavated temple ruins. These analyses give us a new perspective on the evolution of the upper monastic area, which had the beopdang as its center, at a time when early Seon temples were being established under very adverse and unstable circumstances. The exploration of the spatial organization and layout of Korean Seon temple architecture has illuminated the continuity between Korean Buddhist temples of both the ancient and medieval eras.

In his foreword, author Sung-woo Kim says, All people seek after truth. They seek the truth that will explain life and death and help them to make the best of themselves. With Buddhist Architecture of Korea, temples that have dotted the Korean peninsula for almost 2,000 years are examined in great detail, including the role they have played in helping Koreans on their own quest for truth. Buddhist architecture is an integral part of its iconography, making this book indispensable.

Having traveled extensively throughout South Korea, Dale Quarrington reveals a side of Korean Buddhism that is often misunderstood or unknown. In Korean Temples: Art, Architecture and History, he takes a look at the twenty-five most influential temples throughout the Korean peninsula. By exploring the art, architecture and history of South Korea's most famous temples, he introduces the intricacies and beauty of South Korean Buddhism.

A Study of Korean Pagodas, a monumental work of research in which Korean pagodas are described by focusing on their stylistic history, is considered as the archetype of this field. In Buddhist art history this work is a classic that set the stylistic standard for studying stone pagodas, the periods of classification, and the basic framework of analysis. The theories first presented in this book have exerted a great influence to the present day. The author Go Yuseop 高裕燮 (1905–1944), a representative scholar in the field of Korean art history, studied at Gyeongseong Jedae 京城帝大, the only university during the colonial period, and served as director of Gaeseong Museum and professor at Yeonhui Professional School and Ewha Womans Professional School. His research was based on the direct exploration of scenic spots, historical remains, and Buddhist temples. In addition to A Study of Korean Pagodas, Go Yuseop left Songdo gojeok 松都古蹟 (Historical Remains at Songdo), Joseon misulsa nonchong 朝鮮美術史論叢 (A Collection of Studies on History of Korean Art), and other writings. A Study of Korean Pagodas explains that Korean pagodas originated from wooden and brick pagodas of the Three Kingdoms period; their size was reduced during the early period of the Unified Silla dynasty, in which the typical style was established; during the middle to the end of the Unified Silla dynasty, the atypical pagoda appeared. Go Yuseop explains the arrangement of buildings in temples in the Three Kingdoms period and its variations on the basis of the relationship between the main hall, Geumdang金堂, and pagodas. Although criticism and alternative theories have been advanced, his explanation is still valid to understand the emergence of the monastery arrangement with twin pagodas. The base text for this translation is the published edition by Eulyoo Munhwasa (1948), but references are made to other editions, including those of Donghwa Chulpan (1975), Tongmungwan (1993), and Yeolhwadang (2010).

Preliminary Material /James Huntley Grayson -- The Theory of Emplantation /James Huntley Grayson -- The Advent of Buddhism in Korea /James Huntley Grayson -- The History of the Late Chosŏn Dynasty, From the Hideyoshi Wars to the Opening of the Nineteenth Century /James Huntley Grayson -- The Catholic Church in Korea /James Huntley Grayson -- The Protest ant Church in Korea /James Huntley Grayson -- Summary and Conclusions /James Huntley Grayson -- References and Works Consulted /James Huntley Grayson -- Glossary of Chinese Character Terms /James Huntley Grayson -- Index /James Huntley Grayson.

The book provides an updated chronology of the Amar?vat? st?pa and argues its close link with the long-term development of urbanization of this region between ca. 200 BCE-250 CE based on the latest archaeological, art-historical and epigraphic evidence.