Hwaeomsa in Jirisan National Park supposedly has the highest stone lantern of its kind in the world. Standing at 6.4m, it was the largest stone lantern of its kind ( before the 1960s). It's National Treasure No. 12. Most stone lanterns have an octogonal-shaped column but this one is fashioned after an hour-glass, a popular style during the Shilla Dynasty.
Stone lanterns have a symbolic function - representing the path to enlightenment but they may have also been used in earlier days to provide some light to monks making their way in the pre-dawn darkness to the main hall, Gakhwangjeon, for early chanting sessions. I'd like to think they still place a candle within it on special days at least instead of simply using electricity. The temple grounds here apparently are a sight to behold when they celebrate Buddha's birthday with a lantern festival.
Ironically, I picked a bad time to be virtuous and to watch how I spent my won when I went to the gift shop at Hwaeomsa. Shouldn't have curbed the inclination to splurge on a pretty gold-plated book mark shaped after the famous stone lantern here.
Sources:
http://www.ocp.go.kr:9000/ne_dasencgi/full.cgi?v_kw_str=&v_db_query=A4%3A36&v_db=2&v_doc_no=00000012&v_dblist=2&v_start_num=1&v_disp_type=4
http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264128
http://www.san-shin.net/Jiri-Hwaeom-1.html
http://www.heritage.go.kr/eng/tou/tou_the_11_sce.jsp
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