The "80,000 Blocks of the Complete Collection of Buddhist Scriptures" is a collection of Buddhist books during the Koryo Dynasty, a feudal state of Korea, which existed between 918 and 1392.
It began to be printed in Koryo in 1011. The wooden blocks used for printing the collection on two occasions were burnt by foreign invaders in 1231.
Ri Chun Sop, Section Chief of the National Classics Institute under the Academy of Social Sciences, says:
"The present complete collection of Buddhist scriptures was engraved on wood for 16 years between 1236 and 1251. The collection published at that time has 1,537 kinds and 6,793 volumes and the number of wooden blocks engraved with words amounts to more than 80,000.
That's the 80,000 Blocks of the Complete Collection of Buddhist Scriptures which was widely known as the world's oldest, correctest and richest of the complete collections of Buddhist scriptures in Chinese characters. It is also called the 'Complete Collection of Buddhist Scriptures during the Koryo Dynasty'."
The wooden blocks of the complete collection were made of machilus, paktal wood or birch wood. Every block is 69.6 centimetres long, 24 centimetres wide and 3.7 centimetres thick. It has 22 lines with 14 letters each.
Four corners of the block were girdled with bronze belts and fixed with nails. Wooden pillars were put on both sides to keep the block from being twisted and the surface of the board was lacqured not to be decayed and worm-eaten for a long time.
A copy of the wooden blocks of the "80,000 Blocks of the Complete Collection of Buddhist Scriptures" is preserved in the Pohyon Temple of Mt. Myohyang in Hyangsan Country of North Phyongan Province.
The "80,000 Blocks of the Complete Collection of Buddhist Scriptures" is one of the precious cultural heritages of the Korean nation as it shows the high printing technology of the Korean ancestors.
More From Voice of Korea (EN)
Agricultural women workers met with winners of the Communist Mother Honour Prize at the Wonhwa-ri House of Culture in Phyongwon
March 06, 2026
Agricultural women workers met with winners of the Communist Mother Honour Prize at the Wonhwa-ri House of Culture in Phyongwon
The Namsi Stockbreeding Machine Factory is vigorously pushing ahead with the work to manufacture a greater number of efficient
March 06, 2026
The Namsi Stockbreeding Machine Factory is vigorously pushing ahead with the work to manufacture a greater number of efficient
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, sent a reply message to To Lam, General
March 06, 2026
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, sent a reply message to To Lam, General
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, President of the State Affairs of the
March 06, 2026
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, President of the State Affairs of the
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un received a floral basket from the Dandong Branch of China of the Kim Il Sung-Kim Jong Il
March 06, 2026
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un received a floral basket from the Dandong Branch of China of the Kim Il Sung-Kim Jong Il
Army-people joint meetings for implementing the decisions of the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea were held
March 06, 2026
Army-people joint meetings for implementing the decisions of the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea were held
The "Exhibition of Sci-Tech Successes in Different Sectors of National Economy--2025" came to a close. Its closing ceremony was
March 06, 2026
The "Exhibition of Sci-Tech Successes in Different Sectors of National Economy--2025" came to a close. Its closing ceremony was
The farm machine exhibition "Development of Farm Machines--2025" came to a close. Its closing ceremony was held in the Hall of
March 06, 2026
The farm machine exhibition "Development of Farm Machines--2025" came to a close. Its closing ceremony was held in the Hall of
A new history of regional transformation has opened in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea under the leadership of the
March 06, 2026
A new history of regional transformation has opened in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea under the leadership of the
Workers and trade unionists met with winners of the Communist Mother Honour Prize at the Central Hall of Workers on the 5th on the
March 06, 2026
Workers and trade unionists met with winners of the Communist Mother Honour Prize at the Central Hall of Workers on the 5th on the
This is the gift--woodwork "Long Life in Good Health"--presented to the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un on April 11, 2011 by a
March 06, 2026
This is the gift--woodwork "Long Life in Good Health"--presented to the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un on April 11, 2011 by a
Regional-industry factories in Unsan County of North Phyongan Province are working hard to normalize the production on a high
March 06, 2026
Regional-industry factories in Unsan County of North Phyongan Province are working hard to normalize the production on a high
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and President of the State Affairs of the
March 05, 2026
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and President of the State Affairs of the
A shooting contest of snipers of units at all levels was held at Pyongyang Training Base No. 60 directly under the Capital City
March 05, 2026
A shooting contest of snipers of units at all levels was held at Pyongyang Training Base No. 60 directly under the Capital City
An enlarged plenary meeting of the Party Committee of the Cabinet was held on the 4th to implement the decisions of the Ninth
March 05, 2026
An enlarged plenary meeting of the Party Committee of the Cabinet was held on the 4th to implement the decisions of the Ninth
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un received congratulatory messages and letters from different countries as regards his reelection
March 05, 2026
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un received congratulatory messages and letters from different countries as regards his reelection
Army-people joint meetings for implementing the decisions of the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea were held in South
March 05, 2026
Army-people joint meetings for implementing the decisions of the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea were held in South
Party organizations at all levels are making an intensive study to firmly arm all the officials, Party members and working people
March 05, 2026
Party organizations at all levels are making an intensive study to firmly arm all the officials, Party members and working people
Ryanggang Province has remodelled the Provincial Forest Science Research Institute. The institute has all conditions necessary for
March 05, 2026
Ryanggang Province has remodelled the Provincial Forest Science Research Institute. The institute has all conditions necessary for
Regional construction and rural construction are vigorously carried on along with the capital city construction in the Democratic
March 05, 2026
Regional construction and rural construction are vigorously carried on along with the capital city construction in the Democratic
More Articles
