Hanging Painting of Gapsa Temple (Three Buddhas)

A gwaebul showing the three bodies of the Buddha — Vairocana at the centre with Shakyamuni and Rocana — preaching the truth. A gwaebul is a huge Buddhist painting hung in the courtyard before the main hall for worship when a temple holds a great Dharma assembly or ritual. It is 1,270.4 by 887.6 cm overall, the painted area 1,082.4 by 844 cm, in three tiers. At the top are Avalokitesvara and Mahasthamaprapta, disciples and vajra guardians; in the middle Vairocana, Shakyamuni and Rocana; and at the bottom Manjusri and Samantabhadra, the Four Heavenly Kings and Shariputra. Vairocana in the middle has a mandorla behind, a round face and a robe over both shoulders, the right hand wrapped in the left in the wisdom-fist gesture. The body is rather slight for the large face and hands, and the knees are wide for the shoulders. Rocana on his left wears a lavish crown and raises both hands to the shoulders in preaching; Shakyamuni on his right makes the gesture of subduing demons. Vairocana and Shakyamuni have unusual topknots rising like pillars. At the top, Avalokitesvara and Mahasthamaprapta with red halos, the Buddhas of the ten directions and arhats mingle with brightly coloured clouds to make a beautiful heavenly world. The bottom, fairly simple, holds the Heavenly Kings, Manjusri, Samantabhadra and Shariputra. Painted in mid-tones of green, red and yellow and in gold, the whole is bright and splendid. Made in 1650, the first year of King Hyojong, it has a distinctive composition that strongly emphasises the three bodies in the middle tier. It also records the donors of the many items needed to make it, which makes it an important source for daily life and the scale of temple finances in the mid-seventeenth century.

AI Translation

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Admission

Individuals - Adults 3,000 won / Teenagers 1,500 won / Children 1,000 won<br> Groups - Adults 2,500 won / Teenagers 1,000 won / Children 500 won<br><br> * Groups - 30 people or more

Parking

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Information

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Visitor information: Korea Tourism Organization · KOGL Type 1

Where it is

Region

Gongju, Chungnam

Designation

National Treasure · 국보