Wooden Bulpae of Yongjusa Temple, Hwaseong

A "bulpae" is a ritual implement used at Buddhist ceremonies in temples: a wooden plaque, inscribed with the name of a Buddha or bodhisattva or with a prayer for the peace and wishes of the royal family, and enshrined on the altar (a raised platform set up to hold Buddha and bodhisattva images, also called a sumidan). The Wooden Bulpae of Yongjusa Temple, Hwaseong, resembles a ribbon turned on its side, and was enshrined at Yongjusa Temple, which King Jeongjo built to pray for the repose of Crown Prince Sado's soul. As with the typical bulpae of the period, its form consists of a body with a water-caltrop-flower-shaped edge, set into a separately made lotus pedestal. At the top is carved a dragon facing left, and on either side of the body a dragon soaring upward, one on each side, all rendered in intricate, dynamic openwork carving without a single gap. The dragons are painted in white and gold, while the cloud and flame patterns intertwined with their bodies are rendered in contrasting red, green and blue, adding to the splendour. At the centre of the body a rectangular frame was made for an inscription, so that the plaque could be replaced, but this inscription no longer survives. The pedestal is a lotus-flower pedestal formed of lotus blooms extending upward and downward and joined together. This bulpae appears to have been made and enshrined in 1790, when Yongjusa Temple was founded.

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Where it is

Region

Hwaseong, Gyeonggi

Designation

Cultural Heritage Material · 문화유산자료