The science behind Tripitaka Koreana, Woodblock Printing Perfected

During the 1232 Mongol invasion, the 6,000-volume, First Tripitaka Koreana wooden printing blocks were burned.

Goryeo people answered that tragic cultural loss with a 15-year project (1236 to 1251) to carve the Tripitaka Koreana, an incredible set of 81,258 wooden printing blocks.

The 13th century Tripitaka Koreana (팔만대장경) documents all known human knowledge and Buddha's teachings up until that point through a whopping 52,330,152 characters carved on both sides of the 81,258 wooden printing blocks.

Each of the wooden blocks measures in ranges of 26.7 - 30.7 inches (68 - 78 cm) long, 9.5 inches (24 cm) tall and 1 - 1.3 inches (2.7 - 3.3 cm) thick.

The lumber for these wooden blocks came from Sargent's Cherry (Prunus sargentii) and Wild Pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) trees before being naturally treated through a process that involved three years of dipping in sea water and exposure to high temperatures to prevent warping or cracking.

Haeinsa Temple Janggyeong Panjeon (장경판전 in Hangul), the buildings where the 81,258 printing blocks are archived, is another scientific masterpiece. The foundation of these buildings was reinforced with charcoal, salt, and plaster to regulate moisture and humidity while repelling bugs.

The unique two-row opening design of the Janggyeong Panjeon walls explains how the wooden printing blocks withstood centuries of weather and harsh elements without modern temperature- and moisture-controlled HVAC systems.

South-facing walls have larger openings on the bottom row, while north-facing walls have larger openings along the top row, facilitating constant 24/7 air circulation.

In addition, the high-altitude location of the archives near the Gaya Mountain ridge means almost guaranteed unending air flow.

Between the outside weather and the unique wall design, the archives boast its own ecosystem.
After more than 700 years, the wooden printing blocks remain perfectly maintained in their original state.

Both the wooden printing blocks and the archives building have been separately recognized by the UNESCO Memory-of-the-World Program.

The Tripitaka Koreana was almost destroyed during the Korean War.

The Republic of Korea Air Force, under the US command during the war, was ordered to bomb Haeinsa Temple, where suspected communist partisans were active in the Gaya Mountain hills.

RoK Air Force Major Kim Young-hwan, who led the bombing mission, directed pilots to shoot into the hills and dropped bombs away from Haeinsa Temple, to avoid burning the wooden printing blocks.

Major Kim defended his actions, saying, “Killing a few partisans isn't going to change the war. We have 80,000 printing blocks at the temple, a world-class treasure which we cannot be traded for a few partisan fighters."

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#korea #architecture #archive