Golden Edition of the Korean Tripitaka (Complete 88 volumes)

Author: None
Publisher: Religious Culture Press
Publish Date: 2004-07-01
Features: The world-renowned classic Buddhist canon, the "Golden Edition of the Korean Tripitaka," is now officially released. Gorgeous gold cover, pleasing to the eye: Introducing international printing techniques, featuring decorative gold printing technology, and emitting a refreshing sandalwood fragrance. Gilded cover, magnificent: Imported gilding materials, advanced domestic gilding technology, resulting in more exquisite binding. World heritage, extremely precious: Ancient version, the first choice for collection; meticulously edited, a fine choice for recitation; complete content, a precious offering.
Version Ancient—Taking the Chinese first printed Tripitaka as its prototype, the official Tripitaka commissioned by Emperor Taizu of Song and completed during the reign of Emperor Taizong is China's first printed Chinese Tripitaka. As it was first carved during the Kaibao era, it is known as the "Kaibao Tripitaka." Also, as it was completed in Shu, it is also called the "Shu Tripitaka." It is China's earliest carved and printed collection of Buddhist scriptures, and its compilation holds immense importance in both Buddhist history and the history of printing. After its completion, the "Kaibao Tripitaka" was widely circulated domestically and introduced to countries like Korea and Japan, becoming the prototype for Tripitakas worldwide, with a profound influence. Unfortunately, the "Kaibao Tripitaka" was lost early in the Yuan Dynasty, and only two surviving fragments from the Song Dynasty remain in China today. The most complete "Kaibao Tripitaka" can only be found in the Korean Tripitaka.
Editing Exquisite—Based on a meticulously re-carved and reviewed version of the "Kaibao Tripitaka" After the "Kaibao Tripitaka" was compiled, Goryeo sought the Song Dynasty's "Kaibao Tripitaka" and used it as the blueprint to begin carving the Tripitaka, which became the first carved edition of the "Korean Tripitaka." Goryeo supplemented and continued carving the "Korean Tripitaka" around 1089, creating the second carved edition. Regrettably, in 1232, the Mongol army invaded Goryeo, destroying all the printing blocks in the war. From 1236 to 1251, Goryeo completed the third carved edition of the "Korean Tripitaka." The "Korean Tripitaka" was carved and printed three times, and the surviving second carved edition is considered the oldest version of the existing Chinese Tripitaka. The fame of the "Korean Tripitaka" stems not only from its meticulous editing and carving but also from the fact that its wooden printing blocks still exist today. These blocks, carved in the 13th century and numbering around 80,000, are now stored in Haeinsa Temple in Seokgwan, South Korea. In 1995, they were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The second carved edition of the "Korean Tripitaka" meticulously compared the first carved edition of the "Korean Tripitaka," the "Kaibao Tripitaka," and the "Khitan Tripitaka," and referenced the "Record of the Buddhist Teachings of the Kaiyuan Era" and subsequent Buddhist texts to verify errors, misspellings, and different translations. It even corrected differences in titles, translators' names, volumes, and numbering. As a result, among all historical Chinese Tripitakas, the second carved edition of the "Korean Tripitaka" is considered the most meticulously reviewed Tripitaka in the existing Chinese Tripitakas.