Vairocana Buldo Painting of Bongeunsa Temple

This Vairocana Buddhist painting is enshrined as the votive painting hung behind the Buddha image (hubultaeng) in Panjeon Hall. It was made in 1886 together with a Chilseongdo (Painting of the Seven Stars) and a Sanshindo (Painting of the Mountain Spirit); the Chilseongdo was later moved to Bukgeukbojeon Hall when that hall was built in 1942, while the Sanshindo no longer survives. The painting was produced through the sponsorship of Deungun Su-eun, who served as chief patron, with donations from eight court ladies. It was made under the leadership of Yeongmyeong Yeonggi, with Gyeongseon Eungseok drafting the outline, and Dongho Jincheol, Yeonha Gyechang, Jonghyeon Hyeonjo and Hyeneung Changin working together on its production. It is a colour painting on cotton cloth, 302.3 cm high and 236 cm wide, with a simplified composition depicting only the Vairocana triad, the venerable Kasyapa, the venerable Ananda, and the Four Heavenly Kings. The principal image, Vairocana Buddha, sits in the full lotus position on a lotus pedestal above the Sumeru-shaped altar (sumidan), forming the jigwonin, the wisdom-fist mudra, in a stable, well-balanced posture. He is surrounded by a double halo of light wreathed in flames; the interior of the body halo is painted gold, giving the impression that light is radiating outward from Vairocana's body. His face is round and full, with small, neat features; the usnisa is high and pointed, with usnisa jewels depicted both at its summit and partway down. Because of the jigwonin gesture the shoulders appear narrow, yet the seated, full-lotus posture is stable and well proportioned. His robe is worn covering both shoulders, and the hem of the red outer robe is decorated with delicate floral patterns. Below the principal image, Manjusri Bodhisattva and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva sit in the half-lotus position on lotus flowers. Manjusri holds a ruyi sceptre, a curved wish-fulfilling wand, and Samantabhadra a white lotus, both facing the principal Buddha; they share the same round-faced, small-featured appearance as the principal image. To the Buddha's left and right stand the venerable Kasyapa and the venerable Ananda respectively, hands joined, facing the Buddha. Both wear green head halos and red kasaya robes, but the two are drawn in contrast: the deeply wrinkled, white-haired Kasyapa clasps his left hand with his right, while the youthful, novice-like Ananda holds his hands neatly together. Along the edges of the painting, two Heavenly Kings are placed on each side. Whereas the Four Heavenly Kings are usually depicted as a pair at the lower edge of the composition, here they are arranged both above and below, effectively expressing their role as guardian deities protecting the Buddha and bodhisattvas. In the upper right, a Heavenly King plays a pipa, a lute-like stringed instrument, while below him another stands holding a sword at an angle. On the opposite side, one Heavenly King holds a dragon and a wish-fulfilling jewel, while another above him supports a seven-storey pagoda. Wearing crowns and red robes, the Heavenly Kings have bushy beards and wide, glaring eyes that convey the martial vigour of guardian deities, yet their round, startled-looking eyes are a feature commonly seen in Gyeonggi-do Buddhist paintings of the late nineteenth century, lending them a somewhat comical air. Red is the dominant colour, together with green, yellow and white; blue is applied selectively to the blue-lotus pedestal, the sky, and parts of the bodhisattvas' and Heavenly Kings' robes, so that blue and red appear almost as the two main colours. The interior of Vairocana's body halo is also painted gold, effectively expressing the auspicious mark of boundless radiant light. [Painting inscription] Verification: the monks Hobong Eunggyu, Haneun Jeongjun and Hwaneun Yunjeong. Dharani chanter: Gyecheon. Chief painter: Yeongmyeong Yeonggi. Head of outline-drafting: Gyeongseon Eungseok, with Dongho Jincheol, Yeonha Gyechang, Jonghyeon Hyeonjo and Hyeneung Changin. Novice monk for provisions: Yaknul. Novice monk for supplementary provisions: Bongseon. Errand boy: Taebok. Supervisor: Cheongha Posa. Chief sponsor: Deungun Su-eun. Donors: eight court ladies and five other men and women of faith. Made in the fourth month of the byeongsul year, the twelfth year of the Guangxu reign (1886), at Sudosan Bongeunsa Temple in Gwangju, and enshrined in Panjeon Hall. Unlike a typical votive painting hung behind a Buddha image, this painting takes a simplified composition depicting only the Vairocana triad, the venerable Kasyapa, the venerable Ananda, and the Four Heavenly Kings. The shaded rendering of the attendant figures' faces and the technique of painting the interior of the body halo in gold reflect the style of Buddhist painting that was especially popular in the Seoul and Gyeonggi region in the late nineteenth century. As one of the Buddhist paintings commissioned by the royal court in the late Joseon period, it is of considerable value, and it is accordingly designated a Seoul Tangible Cultural Heritage.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Gangnam-gu, Seoul

Designation

Provincial Tangible Heritage · 시도유형문화유산