Long-lost royal shrine returned after century in Japan
Gwanwoldang Shrine, thought to be a Joseon-era royal building taken to Japan during the country's coloninal rule of Korea in the early 20th century, has been returned to Korea.
The Korea Heritage Services said Tuesday that it has received the parts of the wooden building from the Kotoku-in Buddhist Temple a day before, in accordance with the agreement between the two parties. The building was disassembled for shipping, and the parts are currently stored at the Korea Foundation for the Traditional Architecture and Technology for the time being.
This is the second attempt from the Korean side to bring back the building, after an ultimately unsuccessful bid by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism in 2010. It also marks the first time an entire Korean building has been returned to the country from abroad.
Experts will repair and reassemble the building in the near future, while the KHS and the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation will carry out research to determine its original name, location and the individuals honored at what is believed to be a royal shrine of the Joseon era (1392-1910).
Royal shrine lost in 1920s
Research conducted by Korea has found that Gwanwoldang's size and structure suggest it was a royal shrine of a "Daegun level," a title given to the son of the king and queen, which means it had higher authority than most buildings with the same purpose. The design suggests it was built in the the late Joseon Dynasty, and the pattern and pigment suggest it was repainted in the late 18th century or 19th century.
The structure and roof tiles are consistent with those found in royal buildings of the Joseon Dynasty, although no records directly related to its construction have been found so far.
It is likely to had originally stood in Seoul and some experts suggest it may have been located within Gyeongbokgung Palace, the main palace for Joseon kings, though this claim has not yet to be confirmed.
Records from the Kotoku-in Temple show that it was originally in "a Joseon palace" and donated there in 1924 Sugino Kisuke, the founder of Yamaichi Securities that went bankrupt in 1999. It is believed that Chosen Shokusan Bank — a financial organization founded by the colonial government in Korea — gave it to Sugino.
It was reported that the attempt to return Gwanwoldang in 2010 was agreed upon by Buddhist sects in the two countries, but drew complaints from some groups in Japan. With Buddhists and many scholars in Japan saying it is appropriate to transfer the building back to Korea, the KHS and the related officials conducted the latest operation away from the public's eyes.
Sato Takao, the chief monk of the Kotoku-in, told the KHS that he "deeply agreed" that it would be best for Gwanwoldang to be returned to Korea for it to be preserved in the best way possible. He expressed his wishes for the building's original building to be restored in the appropriate spot in Korea, while preserving its past 100-year history in the Japanese temple.
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