Sarira Stupa of the Hoeamsa Temple Site in Yangju

The Sarira Stupa of the Hoeamsa Temple Site in Yangju was built by the royal family of early Joseon as a funerary monument in which to store the relic of the Shakyamuni Buddha. The stupa stands 5.89 meters tall and has an octagonal body consisting of a double-tier base, a spherical main body, and a finial. The base of the stupa is lavishly decorated with a variety of ornamental motifs including the dragon, East Asian unicorn (girin), lotus flowers, leaves and vines, scrollwork, and Buddhist divine guardians.

The stupa's architectural style, building techniques and detailed ornamentation indicate that it was built during the early phase of the Joseon dynasty, while its size, finishing touches, and the techniques used to build its stone structure suggest that it was built by some of Joseon's leading masons. In addition, the style of the stupa as well as its imagery and decorative Buddhist motifs are elements of the new style of Buddhist art that emerged in the early Joseon period, and are regarded as a valuable source of information for future research.

Source: Korea Heritage Service signboard ↗ · collected 2026-10-08