Hanging Painting of Heungguksa Temple (Rocana Buddha)

A gwaebul is a huge Buddhist painting made to be hung in the courtyard in front of the main hall for worship during large Buddhist services or rites; the Hanging Painting of Heungguksa Temple (Rocana Buddha) is in the single-image format, depicting only the principal Buddha filling the entire picture plane. The Rocana Buddha, with a huge and ornate body halo and a round head halo, wears a crown bearing a small Buddha image on its head, and raises both hands up to shoulder height, spread out to left and right. At the top of the picture, the eaves of a building resembling a heavenly palace associated with the Rocana Buddha are depicted, and at the bottom, jewelled pagodas are placed to left and right. It was painted with the participation of the monk-painter Bihyeon, who was active alongside Uigyeom, regarded as the finest monk-painter of the 18th century; the colours are vivid and beautiful, the decorative quality stands out, and the lines are handled beautifully, revealing a refined sensibility. On the back of the painting, an inscription recorded during a later restoration of the gwaebul remains intact, and it is regarded as important material for studying the actual practice of gwaebul production at the time.

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Where it is

Region

Yeosu, Jeonnam & Gwangju

Designation

Treasure · 보물