Buddhist Painting of Tongdosa Temple (Illustration of the Avatamsaka Sutra)

This is a black painting (heuktaeng), executed in gold pigment on a black-lacquered ground, illustrating the Seven Places and Nine Assemblies of the Avatamsaka Sutra. The complex content of the Eighty-fascicle Avatamsaka Sutra is simplified and depicted in three registers: an upper register representing the heavens, and middle and lower registers representing the earthly realm. In the lower register, the Thousand-armed Avalokitesvara, the Cundi Avalokitesvara, and the Mirror of Karma (a mirror said to reflect a person's deeds) are newly placed, showing a change in iconography. According to a record of the painting's history, it was produced in 1811, the 11th year of King Sunjo of Joseon, by the monk-painters Cheonsu, Gwanbo, Seunghwal, Jihan, Seongui and others. Although part of the painting is damaged, each scene is labelled, so there is little difficulty in understanding the overall iconography, and the brushwork is extremely meticulous and delicate, making it a highly regarded work. Although it was produced in the 19th century, relatively late, it is one of comparatively few surviving examples and is valuable as material showing new iconography.

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Where it is

Region

Yangsan, Gyeongnam

Designation

Treasure · 보물