Tripitaka Koreana (whose official name is "Eighty Thousand Tripitaka") was a way for Korea to invoke Buddha's help in changing the direction of the country in response to such threats as a foreign invasion.

• The woodblocks were done between 1236 and 1251 as Korea was under the Mongol invasion. The carving took place on Ganghwa Island, just west of Seoul and the wartime national capital (Ganghwa Island is to be visited a few days later while I still have the rental car.)

• These blocks are known for their accuracy and completeness in recording Buddhist knowledge, based on older Korean, Chinese, and Khitan tripitakas. They not only offer a glimpse into older Chinese and Khitan tripitaka styles that no longer survive today, but also served as reference for later Chinese, Japanese, and Taiwanese tripitakas. Utmost care was done in the preparation of wood to prevent decay.

• Tripitaka Koreana is designated not only as National Treasure No. 52, but also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of South Korea's first.

• "Sadly I am not allowed to take the photos of the woodblocks themselves# However, at the temple gift shop I could buy a replica woodblock, made with authentic methods, though at a stiff price of ₩150,000 - or USD $100 even after the steep drop of the won in the past few weeks."