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Haeinsa is the head temple of the 12th religious district of the Jogye Order, and the Dharma Jewel Temple among Korea’s Three Jewel Temples. Janggyeong Panjeon is the collective name for the repositories of the Tripitaka Koreana (Korean Buddhist Canon named Goryeo Daejanggyeong, and a Memory of the World). The Tripitaka Koreana consists of 81,258 woodblocks that were carved in the 13th century. Janggyeong Panjeon was registered on the World Heritage List in 1995 based on the recognition that it is the world’ only structure from the 15th century built to preserve Buddhist canon printing woodblocks.

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Janggyeong Panjeon consists of 4 buildings placed in a rectangular layout: Sudarajang-jeon and Beopbo-jeon, both 15 bays wide and 2 bays deep; and Dongsaganpan-jeon and Seosaganpanjeon, both 2 bays wide and 2 bays deep. These buildings have wooden windows devoid of any decor. Different sized windows are placed on each bay to maximize ventilation and air flow.

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In particular, windows on the lower back walls are smaller than those on the front walls to minimize the effects of moisture rising from the earthen floor. The floor is composed of soil with excellent drainage quality, which also has layers of charcoal, salt and lime. The walls are made from soil, a natural material that allows for the natural control of temperature and humidity. As can be seen, builders of the Janggyeong Panjeon took full advantage of the surrounding natural environment to properly preserve the printing woodblocks. The 4 buildings were planned based on scientific principles in terms of architectural style, including the layout and structure of the buildings, the direction the windows faced, and the arrangement of the woodblocks; all of these for the purpose of maintaining constant optimal levels of temperature and humidity.