hankyoreh

A prop of the ceiling of Taeung Hall, Hall of Great Enlightenment, in Anguk Temple, a Korean Buddhist temple located in Pyongsong, South Pyongan Province, North Korea.

A bird of paradise with two heads is painted on the prop. There is no temple with the same decoration.

This photo is included the photo books “Traditional Temples of North Korea” recently published by the headquarters for promoting national community under Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. The ten-volume picture books have about 3,500 color pictures of 59 temples, 6 temple sites and statues of the Buddha.

North Korea’s agency reportedly took the pictures over one year at the behest of the headquarters.

Anguk Temple, founded in 503 under the Koryo dynasty, was reconstructed in 1419 and again renovated in 1785.

(Courtesy of Yanghyunjae Publishing)