Wooden Amitabha Buddha Altarpiece and Related Documents of Daeseungsa Temple, Mungyeong

The Wooden Amitabha Buddha Altarpiece and Related Documents of Daeseungsa Temple, Mungyeong were originally enshrined at Buseoksa Temple and later moved to Daeseungsa Temple. The altarpiece is a hubultaenghwa, the painted screen customarily hung behind the main Buddha image, but here rendered not in paint, instead carved in wood in relief and openwork. A taenghwa is a type of Buddhist painting made on cloth or paper and mounted as a hanging scroll or in a frame, usually hung behind the main image in the hall as a hubultaenghwa. Wood-carved altarpieces of this kind became quite popular in the late Joseon period, and this example shows the finest craftsmanship among them. It depicts an Amitabha hubultaenghwa: at the centre is carved a pedestal bearing a halo and lotus design, on which a separately carved wooden image of Amitabha Buddha is enshrined, with attendant figures arranged in five tiers to either side. In addition to the wood-carved altarpiece, documents survive recording a dispute with Buseoksa Temple that took place before the piece was moved to Daeseungsa Temple. These are the 'Sangju Daeseungsa oesasa seungdo deungjang' (joint petition of the monks of Oesasa and Daeseungsa Temple, Sangju), the 'Sangju Sabulsan Daeseungsa seungdo deungjang' (joint petition of the monks of Daeseungsa Temple, Sabulsan, Sangju), the 'Donae Sangju Sabulsan Daeseungsa jeseung deungjang' (joint petition of all the monks of Daeseungsa Temple, Sabulsan, Sangju, within the province), and the 'Wanui' (a written agreement). These are valued as important material for the study of Buddhist sculpture of the late Joseon period.

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Where it is

Region

Mungyeong, Gyeongbuk

Designation

Treasure · 보물