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)
Seminars on exploits of President Kim Il Sung held abroad
April 25, 2024
Seminars on exploits of President Kim Il Sung held abroad
Senior Party and government officials visited the Korean Revolution Museum on the 24th on the occasion of the 92nd founding
April 25, 2024
Senior Party and government officials visited the Korean Revolution Museum on the 24th on the occasion of the 92nd founding
Kim Tok Hun, Member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea and
April 25, 2024
Kim Tok Hun, Member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea and
The daily Rodong Sinmun on the 25th carried an editorial titled "Invincible Forever Is the Korean Revolution Carried Forward with
April 25, 2024
The daily Rodong Sinmun on the 25th carried an editorial titled "Invincible Forever Is the Korean Revolution Carried Forward with
Birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung marked at DPRK missions abroad
April 25, 2024
Birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung marked at DPRK missions abroad
A meeting of workers and trade unionists was held at the Central Hall of Workers on the 23rd on the occasion of the 92nd founding
April 25, 2024
A meeting of workers and trade unionists was held at the Central Hall of Workers on the 23rd on the occasion of the 92nd founding
Officials and members of the Union of Agricultural Workers of Korea held a meeting at the Kuksabong Revolutionary Battle Site on
April 25, 2024
Officials and members of the Union of Agricultural Workers of Korea held a meeting at the Kuksabong Revolutionary Battle Site on
Kang Jin Song, an international affairs analyst of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, released an article titled "Who Are
April 25, 2024
Kang Jin Song, an international affairs analyst of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, released an article titled "Who Are
Kim Yo Jong, Vice Department Director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, issued the following statement
April 24, 2024
Kim Yo Jong, Vice Department Director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, issued the following statement
Im Chon Il, Vice Foreign Minister of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in Charge of Russian Affairs, released the
April 24, 2024
Im Chon Il, Vice Foreign Minister of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in Charge of Russian Affairs, released the
The Chief of the Foreign News Section of the Department of Press and Information of the DPRK Foreign Ministry issued the following
April 24, 2024
The Chief of the Foreign News Section of the Department of Press and Information of the DPRK Foreign Ministry issued the following
Im Chon Il, Vice-Foreign Minister for Russia of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, issued a press statement on the 24th
April 24, 2024
Im Chon Il, Vice-Foreign Minister for Russia of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, issued a press statement on the 24th
The Head of the External Service Section of the Department of Press and Information of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the
April 24, 2024
The Head of the External Service Section of the Department of Press and Information of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the
The United States behaves like a guilty party filing the suit first, making stereotyped assertion as ever that the activities of
April 24, 2024
The United States behaves like a guilty party filing the suit first, making stereotyped assertion as ever that the activities of
Active efforts are made in all parts of the country to implement the "Regional Development 20×10 Policy" of the Workers' Party of
April 24, 2024
Active efforts are made in all parts of the country to implement the "Regional Development 20×10 Policy" of the Workers' Party of
The Second Workshop of Information Officials of the Workers' Party of Korea took place at the People's Palace of Culture between
April 24, 2024
The Second Workshop of Information Officials of the Workers' Party of Korea took place at the People's Palace of Culture between
The participants in the Second Workshop of Information Officials of the Workers' Party of Korea conducted diverse political and
April 24, 2024
The participants in the Second Workshop of Information Officials of the Workers' Party of Korea conducted diverse political and
Foreign organizations and personages made public statements and articles on the occasion of the 112th birth anniversary of the
April 24, 2024
Foreign organizations and personages made public statements and articles on the occasion of the 112th birth anniversary of the
The public health delegation headed by Minister of Public Health Jong Mu Rim returned home by air on the 23rd after visiting
April 24, 2024
The public health delegation headed by Minister of Public Health Jong Mu Rim returned home by air on the 23rd after visiting
Universities and colleges in North Hwanghae Province are improving the contents, forms and methods of education in an innovative
April 24, 2024
Universities and colleges in North Hwanghae Province are improving the contents, forms and methods of education in an innovative
More Articles
