Beopdang

Beopdang
Daeungjeon of Songgwangsa in Suncheon
Korean name
Hangul	법당
Hanja	法堂
RR	beopdang
MR	pŏptang

Beopdang (Korean: 법당; Hanja: 法堂), also called buljeon (불전; 佛殿; lit. 'Buddha hall') or geumdang (금당; 金堂; lit. 'Gold house'), refers to buildings that enshrine Buddha and Bodhisattva in Korean Buddhist temples.

Etymology

Until the early Goryeo period, Buddha halls were called geumdang, reflecting the wuxing concept in which yellow symbolizes the center. Later, Seon Buddhism used the term beopdang, which means house of Dharma filled with eternal freedom and truth. After the Goryeo period, the names of beopdang began to vary depending on the type of deity enshrined within them.

Meanwhile, in China and Japan, beopdang (fǎtáng in Chinese and hōdō in Japanese) refers to a space where sermons are delivered.

History

Originally, beopdang was a place for sermons and located behind buljeon (building where Buddha statues are enshrined). However, in smaller temples, beopdang and buljeon were not distinguished and sermons were delivered in buljeon. As Seon Buddhism flourished in Korea, buljeon was also called beopdang and most Buddhist events were held there.

One temple had one beopdang in the Three Kingdoms period but began to have multiple beopdangs from the Northern and Southern States period.

Types

Worship halls in Korean Buddhist temples can be classified into three types according to deity of worship: sangdan (상단; 上壇), jungdan (중단; 中壇) and hadan (하단; 下壇). Sangdan which houses Buddha is usually placed in the middle and jungdan which houses Bodhisattvas and Arhats are placed next to or behind sangdan. Hadan which enshrines Dharmapalas and indigenous gods are small and placed in the corner of temples. Beopdang usually refers to sangdan but can be used to refer to all types.

See also

• Mahavira Hall: Main hall in East Asian Buddhist temples
• Dharma Hall: Buildings in Buddhist temples where sermons are given

References