불국사 '3도 16계단'의 이중구조 고찰 -극락전 영역과 대웅전 영역을 중심으로-

Abstract

B u l g u k s a T e m p l e i s t h e c u l t u r a l e s e n c e o f t h e U n i f i e d S h i l a D y n a s t y a n d t h eculmination of Buddhist Art that is built in the double axial cand the paradise hal sections. It means that the religion and the aesthetic sense are mixed in the temple with the highest symbolism under the finest mathematical calculation.The spheric system by the double axial line of the main shrine and the paradise hal sections has 新羅文化 第 31輯- 138 -left the very unique structural artifact of “thre ways and 16 stairs” connecting the two areas with different heights. The three-ways-and-16- stairs structure plays the role of passage to connect the main sanctuary and the paradise hal sections. Thus, it can be said that the consideration on the symbolism of the structure has the suficient internal reliability.As the three-ways-and-16-stairs structure can be commonly alotted to both precincts of the main shrine and the paradise hall, this artifact contains the probability to be connected to the ideological aspects of them both. So, this paper deals with validity of the perspective that the three-ways-and-16-stairs structure has an important meaning for both of the main shrine and the paradise hal. It is because only this kind of double perspective can give us fuller understanding on the symbolism in the religious building.