Namhae Yongmunsa Temple Wooden Ksitigarbha Ten Kings Statues

The Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva statue, with a shaven head, sits with the upper body held straight in the full lotus position, giving an overall impression of volume and sturdiness. The high knees and the wide front-to-back diameter of the base add to the statue's sense of stability. The face is close to square and fleshy, with the jaw rendered without sharp angles for a soft impression. The forehead is very broad, and a raised urna sits between the eyebrows. The eyes are elongated horizontally with rather thick eyelids. The nose has a gently sloping ridge and small nostrils, and the philtrum is clearly and deeply carved. The full lips are slightly upturned at the corners in a smile; the ears are large and thick, with a clearly defined helix. The neck is rather short, carved with three parallel raised lines representing the samdo, the traditional three folds of the neck. Both hands rest on the thighs with the thumb and third finger touching; the left palm faces upward. The fingernails on both hands are relatively large, and the joints of the fingers are carved distinctly. As for the robes, the upper body first wears an inner undergarment (seunggakgi) that shows in parallel lines below the chest, then a partial robe (pyeonsam) draped over the right shoulder, over which the outer robe (daeui) is worn. The outer robe hangs down to the hips; it is folded once at the nape of the neck to cover both shoulders before falling, though on the right side it wraps only around the shoulder, forming a modified both-shoulders-covered style. On both shoulders the outer robe is rendered with three parallel fold-lines arranged in neat, stepped rows. The lower skirt (gunui) spreads broadly beneath the legs, which are crossed in the full lotus position, its carved edges very thick. The treatment of the robes throughout is very thick, with the folds expressed in a few bold and simplified lines. The attendant on the left, Venerable Domyeong, holds a monk's staff (seokjang) in his right hand, while the attendant on the right, King Mudok, stands with hands joined in prayer; both attend the bodhisattva in standing poses. Their heads are rather large in proportion to their bodies and their shoulders broad, giving them a dignified yet gentle appearance. Their faces are square and bear a smile. The statues of the Ten Kings are all seated facing forward on chairs fitted with backrests, armrests and footrests, and are rendered in almost identical technique. Like King Mudok, they wear crowns in the shape of a wollyugwan, a flowing-tassel crown, and hold various objects in their hands: a ceremonial tablet (hol) in the case of the fifth to tenth kings, a book and brush in the case of the first and second kings, or a hand resting on the knee in the case of the third king. The detailed facial features are almost the same as those of Domyeong and Mudok, but the corners of the mouths are raised to reveal white teeth in a mischievous, very humorous smile. In terms of dress, the upper body likewise wears a red robe, and the lower body wears a skirt in blue or red topped with a waist wrap in colours such as blue-green, white-green or blue; a white sash tying the skirt hangs down long from the chest to the ankles. From the centre of the chest a long ribbon hangs down, decorated with a raised floral pattern that was carved separately and inserted. The chairs are each assembled from separate parts, with the footrests attached separately. Both sides of the backrest are decorated with dragon-head ornaments, and both ends of the armrests are decorated with phoenix heads.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Namhae, Gyeongnam

Designation

Provincial Tangible Heritage · 시도유형문화유산