Jiri-san Gokseong-gun  Hyeongje-bong
Nongok-ri 3-story pagoda
Far SW of Nogo-dan, just over the long ridge coming down SW from Manbok-dae Peak,
fairly near Gurye Town, near the upper Seomjin River -- part of the Greater Jiri-san Region
This ghost of the Shilla Dynasty sits quite lonely with few visitors, up on a ridge above the east bank of the upper
Seomjin River.  It's near one end of the very long ridgeline extending down SW from Jiri-san's Manbok-dae Peak
[along the Baekdu-daegan] toward Gurye Town, but then extending SW from Hyeongje-bong [Elder Brother Peak],
in the northern part of Nongok-ri Village; it lies on the eastern edge of Godal-myeon District of Gokseong County.

There must have been a Buddhist temple here during Korea's First Golden Age, but we have no information or
name, only these relics.  Date can only be estimated, 700-800 probably.  It seems a very typical Shilla Kingdom
Sam-cheung Seok-tap [3-story Stone Pagoda] in design and size, but it has three unusual additional features.  
First is a twin pair of stone lions flanking it, and 2nd a headless Buddha-torso planted in the earth facing toward
it -- we just don't know if either of those were originally in those places as an intentional religious arrangement,
or if they were put here by others after the temple was ruined.  Third is that the top of the square base-section
has a rounded "upside-down lotus-leaf" design, as was often employed on the base of a stone lantern, stone
Buddha-statue or stone reliquary, but rarely on a pre-Goryeo pagoda!

This is a significant set of ancient relics and a sacred-site of the Greater Jiri-san Region (see map).

These good photos were provided to me by the redoubtable Roger Shepherd of HikeKorea; thanks!