Mokjangseung of Byeoksongsa Temple, Hamyang

A pair of wooden jangseung (guardian posts) stand facing each other on either side of the road leading into Byeoksongsa Temple. They are thought to have served both to bar evil spirits from entering and as guardian-deity figures (sinjangsang) protecting the Buddhist Dharma. Both posts have roughly half their bodies buried in the ground, so the exposed height is around 2 m, and the upper part of one post is badly damaged by fire. The right-hand post, which is generally well preserved, has a bald head and large, round, protruding eyes. Deep lines carved around the nose make its blunt shape stand out further, and a saw-toothed beard is carved around the tightly closed mouth and beneath the chin. Its body bears the inscription "Hobeopdaesin", meaning "great deity who protects the Dharma". The left-hand post, whose head is partly burnt, has lost one eye and the centre of the nose; the surviving eye is large and round, the mouth is closed, and a short beard is depicted below it. Its body bears the inscription "Geumhojanggun", meaning "general who bars evil spirits from entering the temple grounds". According to oral tradition the posts were erected about seventy years ago, making them unusually old survivals of wooden jangseung. Although the eyes, nose and mouth are exaggerated, the figures give a simple, unaffected impression, seeming fearsome yet approachable, and are notable for their rustic, unpretentious carving.

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Where it is

Region

Hamyang, Gyeongnam

Designation

Provincial Folklore Heritage · 시도민속문화유산