Bokcheonsa Temple Painting of the Lone Arhat and Votive Objects (set)

On the back of this framed painting, a single vertical line of dharani (Buddhist ritual text) is written in red at the centre, enclosing a square frame; inside it, votive objects (bokjang) sealed in during the painting's consecration were found, including dharani, mantras and a dedicatory record. At each of the four corners on the back, a single-character dharani marking east, west, south and north is written in red. The votive objects recovered included: a bokjang gimun, a dedicatory prayer text written in red ink on hanji (traditional mulberry paper); a yellow silk wrapping cloth; five sheets of hanji bearing mantras; two circular pieces of hanji inscribed in cinnabar with the words "sarham" (reliquary box); further circular pieces of hanji bearing drawings of the Five Elements seed-syllables, the Bosinchu (Mantra of the Reward Body, entry diagram), the Hwasinchu (Mantra of the Transformation Body, exit diagram), the True Mind seed-syllable diagram, and the Nine-syllable Cundī diagram; a set linked by five-coloured thread comprising an eight-petalled canopy, the Nine-syllable Cundī Heavenly Circle diagram, a huryeongtong (a cylindrical container holding sacred items), a round mirror and five treasure bottles; a diagram of the arrayed vajra directions; and three sheets of hanji inscribed with Sanskrit characters. In the painting, a holy monk is shown seated in a half-cross-legged pose, turned three-quarters toward the viewer's left, on a hill that runs from the upper right to the lower left of the composition. Between the slopes to the left is a waterfall, and on the hill to the right stands a single old pine tree, behind which gently drifting clouds are depicted. In front of the hill on the right, a green-tinged rocky mountain is shown, painted with green grass and moss dots. The dedicatory inscription shows that this is a painting of the Lone Arhat made in the 18th year of the Guangxu era (1892) by the master painter Eungnyun together with Hwanil, Hyeonjo, Yunhwa, Geungjo, Chiyeon and Chugin, and enshrined at Gwaneumsa Temple on Gwanaksan Mountain, Gyeonggi-do. Although not outstanding in artistic quality, the work has a clearly established production date through its dedicatory record, and because its full set of votive objects has survived together, it is regarded as a heritage item of high research value for the study of Buddhist paintings.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Yeongdo-gu, Busan

Designation

Cultural Heritage Material · 문화유산자료