Treasure Designation for 2m Tall Buddha Statue Created by Monk Hyeonjin

Cultural Heritage Administration Registers 'Baekyangsa Wooden Seated Amitabha Buddha' and 'Namjangsa Gwaneum Seonwon Wooden Seated Gwaneum Bodhisattva' as Treasures

Jangseong Baekyangsa Wooden Seated Amitabha Buddha Statue

The ‘Jangseong Baekyangsa Wooden Amitabha Buddha Statue (208 cm)’, standing over 2 meters tall, and the ‘Sangju Namjangsa Gwaneum Seonwon Wooden Gwaneum Bodhisattva Statue’, estimated to be a 15th-century artifact, have been registered as treasures. The Cultural Heritage Administration announced on the 23rd that the two artifacts have been designated as Treasure No. 2066 and No. 2067, respectively.

The ‘Jangseong Baekyangsa Wooden Amitabha Buddha Statue’ is a Buddhist statue created in the 17th century by the sculptor monk Hyeonjin (玄眞), along with Hyuil and Munseup. The overall outline was made from wood, and wrinkles and flesh were expressed using clay. The wood was carved to form the general shape, and the clay was used to give a three-dimensional and realistic feel.

Hyeonjin was a sculptor monk who recreated Buddhist statues destroyed during the Imjin War. He was active on a royal and national scale, directing the production of the 11 Buddha statues at Jasus Temple and Insu Temple, which were sponsored by Queen Yu of King Gwanghaegun. His representative works include the ‘Jinju Wolmyeongam Wooden Amitabha Buddha Statue (Treasure No. 1686)’, ‘Seoul Jijangam Wooden Vairocana Buddha Statue (Treasure No. 1621)’, and ‘Gurye Cheoneunsa Wooden Gwanseum Bodhisattva Statue and Daeseji Bodhisattva Statue (Treasure No. 1889)’.

According to the ink inscription (墨書) beneath the pedestal (臺座) of the statue, the ‘Jangseong Baekyangsa Wooden Amitabha Buddha Statue’ was created to pray for the repose of the previous king and queen and for the attainment of Buddhahood. Its grand scale, long waist, rounded face, dignified shoulders, naturally rendered clothing wrinkles, and stable posture demonstrate excellent sculpting skills and reflect a new trend in 17th-century Buddhist sculpture.

An official stated, “Among Hyeonjin’s works, this is the oldest statue chronologically,” and added, “It has outstanding academic and artistic value as it allows a comprehensive study of his activity area, artistic world, and production techniques.” They also noted, “The restoration vow documents (重修發願文) written in 1741 and 1755 reveal not only the regilding (改金) and restoration history but also the list of participating painter monks, making it highly significant.”

Sangju Namjangsa Gwaneum Seonwon Wooden Seated Gwaneum Bosal Statue

The ‘Sangju Namjangsa Gwaneum Seonwon Wooden Gwaneum Bodhisattva Statue’, designated as a treasure together, lacks sufficient related records to determine its exact production period. However, its noble and neat face, stylishly rendered clothing wrinkles on the shoulders and abdomen, and fan-shaped folds spread in front of the knees exhibit characteristics of 15th-century Buddhist statues. Originally located at Sangryeonam Hermitage near Cheonjusang Mountain, it was relocated to Gwaneum Seonwon in 1819. An official explained, “Its rarity lies in being a Buddhist statue from the early Joseon period. The quality of the inscriptions (題刻) is also excellent, highlighting its high status in the history of Korean Buddhist sculpture.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.