Stone Lantern

National Treasure #12, Hwaeomsa Temple
Jirisan National Park, Korea

The giant stone lantern in front of Gakhwangjeon stands 6.4m (21 ft) high and is the tallest in Korea. It dates to the Unified Silla period. The lantern rests on a lotus base. The chamber (open part) of the lantern rests on a lotus flower that seems to grow out of a bundle of stems. The octagonal roof of the chamber is punctuated by acroteria at the corners, and crowned by an elaborate harmika that recapitulates the lantern's design: a schematic lotus base-stem-flower is succeeded by a spacing element, then a smaller roof with more acroteria, then finally a lotus-bud finial.

Stone lanterns are symbolic of the light of Buddhism; authors differ as to whether they were also used as practical lanterns.