Naksan Temple mostly destroyed in fire

The bronze bell from 1469, and the site of the bell pavillion after the fire. (c)Yonhapnews/Kwon Woo-sung, from Ohmynews Anyone who has opened a Korean newspaper or entered a Korean newssite is surely aware that the Naksan temple (Naksansa 落山寺) on the Eastern coast close to the city of Sokcho was devoured by a forest fire yesterday. Ohmynews has a report that all the most important parts of Naksansa were destroyed. The accompanying photographs show ashes and destroyed buildings. One big loss is the bronze bell (Naksansa tongjong) from 1469 which melted in the flames. The seven-story stone pagoda (sôkt'ap) seems not to have suffered damage except for some melted bronze parts and soot from flames. Of the 37 buildings 22 were destroyed. (Follow the links at the bottom of the Ohmynews article for pictures of Naksansa before the fire). Fortunately nobody is reported dead or hurt in the fires (yet). Makes me think what's the risk of same thing happening to the Tripitaka Koreana (P'almandaejanggyông or Koryô Taejanggyông), the 81000 printing blocks of sutras in the Haein Temple (Haeinsa)? Smaller I guess (and hope). Categories at del.icio.us/hunjang: culturalhistory, Koreanhistory