• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
• /
• v.33
• /
• pp.162-181
• /
• 2000

This paper investigates sixteen rock-cut arhat images of the Koryo period at Sungbul-sa (成佛寺) in Chunan (天安), South Chungchung Province. These images, together with a Buddha triad in the center, are carved in thin relief on the large granite wall ($375cm{\times}248cm$), and below them is engraved a huge lotus petal which looks to be supporting all the images above. According to extant textual sources, arhats were popularly worshipped in the Koryo period. The Painting of Five Hundred Arhat Images was brought to Koryo from Later Liang (後梁) of the Five Dynasties (五代) in 923. From that time on, the cult of arhat had become gradually known in Koryo. More than thirty ceremonies worshipping arhats (羅漢齊) were officially held in Koryo court. The Sixteen Arhat images (十六羅漢像) were enshrined in many temples. In Boje-sa (普濟寺), which kings and aristocrats often visited for ritual ceremonies, had its main hall dominated by the Five Hundred Arhats, called Nahan-pocheon (羅漢寶殿). However, a limited number of arhat images of the Koryo period, originally made as sets of sixteen or five hundred arhats, are now extant. The Sixteen Arhat images at Sungbul-sa are unique examples that show all sixteen images in situ. The Sixteen Arhat images, though some of them are abraded, show various postures and gesture. One of them sits with his knee bent, and one arhat is sitting on a chair with his hand held upward. Each image is carved in a niche, just as the arhat images of Northern Song China are normally represented in niches of a cave, and are quite similar in style to the arhat images of the Northern Song period at Qinglindong (靑林洞) cave, Feilaifeng (飛來峰), Zejiang province (浙江省). This similarity between the arhat images of Sungbul-sa and those of Qinglindong certifies the strong impact of Song Buddhist art on Koryo frequently mentioned in texts. The Sixteen Arhat images surround the central Buddha raising his hand up to his chest. This Buddha triad could be ascribed to be either the Maitreya Buddha triad or the Sakyamuni Buddha triad based on the Lotus Sutra (妙法蓮華經). Still, the Sakyamuni Buddha triad was more often represented with sixteen or five hundred arhats in the Koryo period, as was seen in the record of Boje-sa where the Sakyamuni triad was enshrined with five hundred arhat images. The Sixteen Arhat images of Sungbul-sa arc most likely to be a rare example of Koryo Arhat images showing the Sakyamuni Buddha triad and the Sixteen Arhats who were predicted to be Buddhas by Sakyamuni in the Lotus Sutra.

• Conservation Science in Museum
• /
• v.2
• /
• pp.41-49
• /
• 2000

The most important aspect in preserving ancient paintings is to return the painting to the original state and conserve it in the original state. One traditional recovering method is the use of frame, for which scientific analysis such as X-rays, infrared and microscope are used and materials are carefully selected. Arhat, a Buddhist painting of Koryo Dynasty, one of the Korean National Museum collections has lost its original shape. With conservation treatment, the cause was found, that is to change frame scroll method to mounting method. In the main body, pre-analysis and conservation method of Arhat will be introduced.

• Acta Via Serica
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.61-77
• /
• 2019

Following the introduction of Buddhism to China by Xuanzang (玄奘 602-664), the visual tradition of an itinerant monk became a popular subject. This theme developed into a Buddhist figure with an accompanying tiger, especially in Korea where tigers were an object of worship and ritual. This paper examines Korean examples of post-itinerant monk Buddhist figures accompanied by tigers, in particular the portrayal of itinerant monks as arhats and sansins. The supernatural powers of arhats were diverse, and they often tamed the tigers who then accompanied them on their journeys. The arhat, who was introduced during the Unified Silla period and gained popularity during the Goryeo period, was loved by the general public during the Joseon Dynasty as a familiar presence that brought good fortune. Special portraits of monks accompanied by a tiger, known as sansindo (山神圖), form a unique Korean genre. Sansin religious beliefs formed through a fusion of the newly introduced Buddhism and the age-old indigenous worship of sacred mountains and tigers. Most Buddhist temples include a sansin shrine containing on altar with sansin statues and portraits. Tigers in the portraits of itinerant monks and the stories of Buddhist monks who tamed tigers became famous and widely accepted in Korea, a nation already rich in tiger lore. Folklore and indigenous shamanism contributed to the establishment of Buddhism in Korea, and tigers played a central role in this.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
• /
• v.53 no.4
• /
• pp.78-99
• /
• 2020

The Buddha triad and 16 Arhat statues carved on the rock surface at Seongbulsa temple is the only domestic remaining example of all 16 Arhats, so its academic value is very high. However, it is severely damaged and so required a stability evaluation through study of digital documentation and precise diagnosis for the purpose of comprehensive conservation. This process established that the Buddha statues were of similar scale, while the Arhats showed a wide variety of sizes, and the two kith and kin in the volume were larger than the Arhats. It was estimated that the statues of food for Buddha are similar to the Arhat statues, and most of the statues are well-formed. The rock used to carve the Buddha statues is banded gneiss with distinct foliation, alternating between white bands of quartz and feldspar and black bands composed of biotite. The Buddha statues have been damaged by physical weathering, discoloration, and biological contamination. In damage evaluations, joint (3.6 crack index), peeling (5.2%), exfoliation (1.7%), and falling off (0.1%) were observed on the rock surface of the Buddha statues. In particular, due to severe biological weathering, stage 9 and 10 biological coverage of the rock surface accounted for 57.5% of the total area, and stages 5 to 8 also accounted for a high share at 22.3%. The discoloration factors were shown to be dark brown and white with Fe, Ca, and S, and a large amount of C detected in the blackened contaminants, and the damage weight high in all areas. Discontinuities in different directions were identified in the rock surface. Analysis of potential rock failure types indicated that there is a possibility of plane and toppling failure, but wedge failure is unlikely to occur. The mean ultrasonic velocity of the main rock surface was 2,463m/sec, the lower part of the left side with a large number of joints was relatively low, and the highly weathered (HW) type to the completely weathered (CW) type concentrated distribution, showing weak properties. For the Buddha statues, conservation treatment is required for about 14.9% of micro cracks and 58.9% of exfoliation cracks. In addition, in order to improve the conservation environment of the Buddha statues, maintenance of drainage and ground preparations for the rock surface gradient and plants are necessary, and protection facilities should be reviewed for long-term conservation and management purposes.

• 보존과학연구
• /
• s.20
• /
• pp.175-206
• /
• 1999

In 1972, the mural painting of Kuknakjon, which is National Treasure No. 15, at Pongjongsa was taken to pieces. From 1999. 9. 8 to 1999. 9. 15,we were precisely investigated with infrared vidicon television, video camera and so forth. The result of investigation shows that contents of the mural painting consisted of paintings of flowers and birds, paintings of Taoist hermits with supernatural powers and old historic figure paintings (In the investigated mural paintings, there were paintings about pheasant or magpie on splendid peony, figures such as Lee tae baek(이태백) and Baek lakchon(백악천) known as old chinese poets, Chang yang(장량) and Hwangsok kong(황석공) known as old historic figures and Paebok(백복), and Choksongja(적송자) known as Taoist hermits.)It is noted that the mural painting was under the influence of the later Choson culture included Taoistic and folk artistic than buddhistic contents such as painting of Bodhisattva, Arhat and apsara. Later, each mural painting will be more investigated in respect of Buddhism art historic value, and we'll make conservative treatment plan based on its result.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
• /
• v.9 no.4
• /
• pp.127-134
• /
• 2023

The god of water, Baltara (Bhadra: in the northern part of India), Tammola Around 563-483, he came to Tamra with 900 Arhats (BC483-AD1105, during the reign of King Sukjong of Goryeo, the kingdom of Tamra became Hangun-hyeon in Goryeo). It is the spread of Buddhism through the world's most sacred water (Heiligkeit, one of the four elements water, fire, air, and earth) and the world's largest Arhat The reverse of Halla, appendix: to find the stone statue of Buddha at Seogo Temple in Jeonju, Hwangbangsan. Since ancient times, Jeju people have called Truth Mt. that Mt. Halla protects against typhoons blowing from the south. It looks like it has been hardened by fire. On the coming day, the greatest breath of Venerable Baltara in Jeju is Olle Road No. 1 from Siheung-ri, Seongsanpo to No. 26 Gujwa-myeon Jongdal-ri. It is the Oval Jeju "Road Way" that clearly shows "the beginning is the end, and the end is the beginning" of Cheonbugyeong.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
• /
• v.46 no.3
• /
• pp.172-193
• /
• 2013

This study examines the production techniques and raw materials shown in the Korean dried-lacquer statues of Buddha through a careful observation of the Seated Dried-lacquer Bodhisattva Statue from the late Goryeo Dynasty which is currently possessed by Okura Museum of Art in Tokyo. As a method of study, the X-ray data and the results from a field survey were combined to analyze the production techniques and the characteristics of raw materials. Based on this analysis, a hypothesis was established on the production process and verified through a reenactment of the actual production process. Then, the characteristics of the techniques applied to each process and the raw materials were recorded in detail. Specifically, the dried lacquer techniques and the raw materials were estimated based on the results of naked-eye observation in comparison with the literature, especially the records of "Xiu Shi Lu" written by Huang Cheng of the Ming Dynasty which is considered as 'the textbook of lacquer techniques.' The raw materials used in the production of the traditional Korean lacquerware inlaid with mother-of-pearl were also referenced. As a result, it was found that the features of production techniques and the raw materials found in the Statue at Okura Museum of Art have many similarities with those of the Seated Dried-lacquer Statue of Lohan (Arhat) from Yuanfu 2 Nian Ming (1098) of the Song Dynasty which is currently at the Honolulu Museum of Art. In particular, the similarities include that the interior of the statue being vacant because the clay and the wood core were not replaced after being removed from the prototype, that the complete form was made in the clay forming stage to apply the lacquer with baste fiber fabric, that the clay and the wood core were removed through the bottom of the statue, and that the modeling stage was omitted and the final coat over the statue is very thin. Additionally, decorating with ornaments like Bobal and Youngrak made of plastic material was a technique widely popular in the Song Dynasty, suggesting that the Seated Dried-lacquer Bodhisattva Statue in Okura Museum of Art was greatly affected by the production techniques of the Dried-lacquer Buddha Statue from the Song Dynasty. There is no precise record on the origin and history of the Korean Dried-lacquer Buddha Statues and the number of existing works is also very limited. Even the records in "Xuanhe Fengshi Gaoli Tujing" that tells us about the origin of the Dried-lacquer Buddha Statue from the Yuan Feng Period (1078~1085) do not indicate the time of transmission. It is also difficult to trace the clear route of transmission of production techniques through existing Dried-lacquer Buddha Statues. Fortunately, this study could at least reveal that the existing Dried-lacquer Buddha Statues of Korea, including the one at Okura Museum of Art, have applied the production techniques rather differently from those used in the production of Japanese Datsukatsu Dried-lacquer Buddha Statues that have been known as the standard rule in making dried-lacquer statues of Buddha for a long time.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
• /
• v.54 no.3
• /
• pp.242-261
• /
• 2021

Sangjeong was a sculptor-monk who was active in the mid-to-late 18th Century, and the current study established the overall chronology of Sangjeong's Buddhist statues and their styles based on the six sculptures of Sangjeong already known and the Wooden Seated Buddha of 1767 in Songgyesa Temple, Geochang, which was found to be his last work. All of the Buddhist statues of Sangjeong have commonalities in terms of the appearance of the ears, wrinkles on clothing on the upper and lower body, position of hands, and expression of the lower body. The expression of the lower body, in particular, is classified into three types: Type A, where the clothing drapes through the lotus leaves on the bottom; Type B, with an 'S-shaped' drape over the lower body but no lotus leaves or pedestal; and Type C, with the Buddha and pedestal as a single unit, and the clothing draping through the lotus leaves on the pedestal. It appears that Sangjeong faithfully succeeded the style of Taewon, who was his only instructor for sculpture. This is verified based on the records of his participation in the creation of the Wooden Seated Sakyamuni Buddha Triad and Statue of Arhat in Bongeunsa Temple, Seoul, as the third sculptor-monk out of twelve sculptor-monks, and the reflection of the S-shaped drape on the lower body found on the statue of Buddha in Bongeunsa Temple on all of the statues created by Sangjeong. Not only that, but it was assumed that the expression of the pedestal and hair was also inherited by Sangjeong from Taewon and Jinyeol, who was a sculptor-monk from the early 18th Century. The work of Sangjeong and Taewon showed differences in the volume and thickness of statues, strength of unevenness on the wrinkles of clothing, drapes on the right side of chest, and details of the ears. The current study identified the original styles of each individual sculptor and attempted to categorize the fourteen pieces of ten Buddhist statues reflecting the styles of Sangjeong into Sangjeong-style or Taewon-style.