Pyongyang, June 17 (KCNA) -- Among the precious cultural heritages of the Korean nation is "80 000 Wooden Blocks of Complete Collection of Buddhist Scriptures" made in the period of Koryo (918-1392).

The complete collection, known as a Buddhist encyclopedia dealing with the Buddhist scriptures and relevant books, consists of 6 793 volumes in over 1 530 kinds. As the number of wooden blocks for its printing reaches more than 80 000, it is called "80 000 Wooden Blocks of Complete Collection of Buddhist Scriptures".

The first complete collection consisting of more than 6 000 volumes was printed in the first half of the eleventh century and another complete collection consisting of 4 769 volumes in 1 000-odd kinds was reprinted and supplemented in the latter half of the twelfth century. But the wooden blocks were burnt by foreign aggressors.

The third complete collection was finished from 1236 to 1251 and it is "80 000 Wooden Blocks of Complete Collection of Buddhist Scriptures" which has been handed down up to now.

Wooden blocks remind of a sculpture for their delicacy.

Machilus thunbergii, Betula schmidtii and Betula platyphylla were used as materials for wooden blocks. The wooden bars were laid doubly on both ends of the lacquered block and bronze bands were placed on its four corners.

The date of composition, titles of scriptures and volume numbers, etc. were also carved on the blocks.

When visiting the Myohyangsan History Museum on June 17, 1989, President Kim Il Sung came to know that only some of the wooden blocks were on display there and indicated the ways for showing full wooden blocks to the visitors.

The "80 000 Wooden Blocks of Complete Collection of Buddhist Scriptures" is recognized as the most perfect standard complete collection of Buddhist scriptures among the ancient ones in the world. -0-