Daegu National Museum, Daegu, Korea

Five Story Pagoda From Jeongdosa

1031 AD, with repairs in 2001
Daegu National Museum
Daegu, Korea

The five story pagoda in the museum courtyard was created in early Goryeo, and its proportions are characteristic of that period. Other aspects of the pagoda recall the earlier Silla style. Stylized elephant faces are carved around its base. Its upper platform (resting on the base) is inscribed with a prayer for the well-being of the country. The light stone on this face indicates that it is a modern replacement. The first story of the pagoda displays an image of a padlocked door, probably symbolizing a repository; indeed, a sarira reliquary and historical text was found inside the pagoda when it was opened.

The museum opened in 1994 to display and house over 30,000 artifacts from Daegu and the surrounding region. For more information, see:

Korean National Heritage Online (sampler of collection)

Daegu NM Archaeology Gallery (Paleolithic through Three Kingdoms)

Daegu NM Art History Gallery (Unified Silla through Joseon)