Ssanggyesa Temple Ksitigarbha Seung

These two stone jangseung, or guardian posts, stand 400–500 metres from the entrance to the former site of Ssanggyesa Temple. They appear to have served to prohibit killing and hunting within the temple grounds, and to mark the temple's property or boundaries. Carved from natural granite with little shaping beyond the face, each post bears an inscription on its body: one reading "Dangjanggun" and the other "Jujanggun". The Dangjanggun post is 247 cm high and 175 cm in circumference, while the Jujanggun post is 345 cm high and 210 cm in circumference. Each wears what resembles a short-brimmed, rolled-up hat, with round bulging eyes, a broad fist-like nose, and tightly closed lips forming a straight line — an outstanding carving that gives the whole face a strong sense of volume. The expression recalls a mighty general, and conveys with striking force the symbolic role of warding off evil spirits, heightened by a touch of the grotesque. The exact date of carving is unknown. Some link it to the founding and rebuilding history of Ssanggyesa Temple and place it in the 13th century or the mid-15th century, while others date it to the mid-18th century, around the time the stone jangseung of Unheungsa Temple (1719) and Bulhoesa Temple in Naju were erected. As relics intended to guard the temple, they illustrate well how Buddhism absorbed folk belief.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Yeongam, Jeonnam & Gwangju

Designation

Provincial Folklore Heritage · 시도민속문화유산