Artefacts excavated from Wonhyosa Temple

These are artefacts discovered while rebuilding Daeungjeon Hall at Wonhyosa Temple on Mudeungsan Mountain in Gwangju, where Wonhyo is said to have stayed during the reign of King Munmu of Silla (r. 661–681). Several hundred items were excavated, of which twelve gilt-bronze and bronze Buddha statues, eighteen clay Buddha statues, and two bronze mirrors were designated as heritage. Fragments of haemurigup celadon, celadon with a sun-halo-shaped foot, from the 8th–9th century were found recently, providing a clue that pushes back the founding date of the temple, and numerous fragments of buncheong ware from the Joseon period have also been found, drawing scholarly attention. Most of the gilt-bronze and bronze Buddha statues are badly corroded, having lost the halo behind the body and the pedestal that other such statues possess. The statues are standing figures around 10 cm tall, made from the Unified Silla period through to the Joseon period. Except for two figures, a bodhisattva image and a child attendant, all the statues have their palms facing forward, with the fingers of the left hand pointing up and those of the right hand pointing down. Most of the excavated relics from Wonhyosa Temple are clay Buddha statues, numbering more than 100. Of these, eighteen that are relatively close to their original form have been designated as heritage. They date from the Goryeo period and share a similar technique in the shaping of the hair. Reconstructed by assembling fragments found at the excavation, the statues were found to measure about 10.5 cm for the head, 10 cm for the upper body and 6.5 cm for the lower body, giving an overall height of around 27 cm. The discovery of these clay statues suggests that Wonhyosa Temple originally had a Cheonbuljeon Hall, a hall of a thousand Buddhas. Among the bronze mirrors, the one carved with two dragons is delicate and finely worked. At its centre is a double-layered lotus flower, surrounded by two dragons, with a cloud pattern at the outer edge. The two dragons at the centre writhe in opposite directions, with sharp claws, and two orbs resembling magic jewels rise from the design. The other mirror is white and plain, without any pattern or notable feature. These two mirrors are very important material for the study of Goryeo-period craft and carving.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Buk-gu, Jeonnam & Gwangju

Designation

Provincial Tangible Heritage · 시도유형문화유산