Sumidan Altar Bujae held at Gyeongheungsa Temple, Gyeongsan

This sumidan, an altar platform representing Mount Sumeru that is placed before a Buddhist image, is thought to date from the early seventeenth century. It no longer survives as a complete structure; its remaining components have been incorporated into the sumidan of the Myeongbujeon Hall at Gyeongheungsa Temple. Judging from the typical structure and scale of such altars, the surviving components are estimated to represent a fifth or less of the original. The carvings feature a wide range of subjects: animals such as crabs, fish, frogs and salamanders; plants including lotus and peony; and imaginary creatures such as dragons and girin (qilin). Although only a small portion of the Gyeongheungsa sumidan survives, the carving technique and skill, and the composition and arrangement of the carved surfaces, are of very high quality, and the colouring is also relatively well preserved, making it a Buddhist craftwork of a high standard.

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Where it is

Region

Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk

Designation

Cultural Heritage Material · 문화유산자료