Jangseong Baekyangsa Wooden Seated Amitabha Buddha Statue Designated as Treasure No. 2066

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Jo Hangyu] The wooden Amitabha Buddha statue seated in Geungnakbojeon Hall of Baekyangsa Temple in Jangseong-gun, Jeollanam-do, has been designated as Treasure No. 2066.

On the 30th, according to Jangseong-gun, the Cultural Heritage Administration announced the designation of one wooden seated Amitabha Buddha statue, one pedestal, and two restoration dedication inscriptions inside Geungnakbojeon Hall of Baekyangsa Temple as nationally designated cultural treasures (Announcement No. 2020-53). This is a promotion after more than 10 years since it was designated as Jeollanam-do Tangible Cultural Property No. 289 in 2008.

The wooden seated Amitabha Buddha statue of Baekyangsa Temple in Jangseong was created in 1607 by the sculptor monk Hyeonjin.

According to the ink inscription remaining inside the pedestal, it was made to pray for the repose of the previous king and the attainment of Buddhahood.

Hyeonjin was a representative sculptor monk of the 17th-century Joseon Dynasty, and many of his works are currently designated as treasures.

The wooden seated Amitabha Buddha statue of Baekyangsa Temple is the oldest existing work by Hyeonjin, and its gentle face and natural posture reflect the characteristics of 17th-century Buddhist sculpture.

With the promotion of the Baekyangsa wooden seated Amitabha Buddha statue to a treasure, Jangseong-gun plans to proceed with preservation management plans in consultation with the Cultural Heritage Administration and begin basic data surveys.

Scientific investigations on the statue’s joinery method, production techniques, analysis of the gold leaf layer components, and wood species analysis will be conducted to assess its preservation state. Additionally, detailed measurement surveys using 3D scanning and documentation surveys will be performed to secure basic data on the statue’s original form.

Furthermore, a preservation environment survey of Geungnakbojeon Hall of Baekyangsa Temple will be conducted to examine factors that may affect the statue’s preservation.

In the future, Jangseong-gun plans to establish a comprehensive preservation and management plan for the statue, including the management of Geungnakbojeon Hall, based on the collected basic data.

Yoo Doo-seok, the mayor of Jangseong-gun, said, “The promotion of the Baekyangsa wooden seated Amitabha Buddha statue to a nationally designated cultural property has greatly enhanced the status of Yellow City Jangseong and the pride of its residents. We will establish thorough preservation and management plans to fully inherit the cultural value of this heritage for future generations.”

Meanwhile, with the promotion of the Baekyangsa wooden seated Amitabha Buddha statue to a treasure, Jangseong-gun now holds a total of three treasures, including the Soyo Daesa Pagoda of Baekyangsa Temple (Treasure No. 1346) and the Pilam Seowon archival documents collection (Treasure No. 587).

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