Gyeongbuk Province Confirms 8 Designated Cultural Properties ... Uiseong Sujeongsa, Bonghwa Gakhwasa Buddha Statues and Buddhist Paintings

4 Cases Including Buddhist Paintings at Pohang Wongaksa, Gilsangsa in Gyeongju, Jangyuksa in Yeongdeok & Cheongjuk Seongram Stele in Sangju Announced for Designation

Seated Stone Amitabha Triad Buddha of Uiseong Suseoksa Temple.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Dong-wook] Gyeongsangbuk-do recently held the Cultural Heritage Committee (1st meeting of the Dongsan Subcommittee) and announced on the 25th that five items, including the 'Uiseong Sujeongsa Stone Amitabha Triad Buddha Statue,' were designated as Gyeongbuk Provincial Tangible Cultural Properties, and three items, including the Andong Maejung-ri Rock-carved Buddha, were designated as Cultural Heritage Materials.

The newly designated cultural properties were selected through on-site investigations by the provincial cultural heritage committee from about 40 cultural properties applied for by cities and counties. These cultural properties were finalized on this day after a 30-day public notice period.

The 'Uiseong Sujeongsa Stone Amitabha Triad Buddha Statue' is a triad Buddha statue with the principal Amitabha Buddha in the center, flanked by Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva on the left and right. It shows the sculptural style of the Seunghopa (勝湖派), active mainly in Gyeongju in the late 17th century. It is regarded as an important resource for studying the lineage and artistic style of sculptor monks in the late Joseon period.

In addition, the following were designated as tangible cultural properties: ▲Uiseong Sujeongsa Stone Ksitigarbha Triad and Ten Kings Statues and their associated relics ▲Uiseong Sujeongsa Ksitigarbha and Ten Kings Painting ▲Bonghwa Gakhwasa Seoaam Shinjoong Painting ▲Bonghwa Gakhwasa Geumbongam Amitabha Assembly Painting.

The three Cultural Heritage Materials include Buddhist paintings such as the Andong Maejung-ri Rock-carved Buddha, Bonghwa Gakhwasa Dokseong Painting, and the temple Geumbongam Shinjoong Painting.

In particular, the Andong Maejung-ri Rock-carved Buddha is a rock relief Buddha statue about 3 meters tall carved on a natural rock surface. Although the face and upper body are severely damaged, the lower part including the pedestal is relatively well preserved. It is a 'Rock-carved Buddha in the Gesture of Granting the Dharma' and is evaluated as a Buddha statue that shows the state of Buddhist art in the Andong area from the late Silla to early Goryeo periods.

With the additional designation of these tangible cultural properties and cultural heritage materials, the total number of cultural properties in the Gyeongbuk region has increased to 2,200 (794 nationally designated, 1,406 provincially designated).

Kim Sang-cheol, Director of the Culture, Tourism and Sports Bureau of Gyeongsangbuk-do, stated, "We will continue to discover and explore utilization plans for undesignated cultural properties, and promote the elevation of excellent provincially designated cultural properties to nationally designated status to secure national funding and further enhance the status of local cultural heritage."

Meanwhile, at the 1st Dongsan Subcommittee meeting of the provincial cultural heritage committee, four items were selected as candidates for designation as tangible cultural properties and cultural heritage materials: ▲Pohang Wongaksa Temple's Amitabha Assembly Painting ▲Gyeongju Gilsangsa Temple's Seven Stars Painting ▲Sangju Cheongjuk Seongram's Tombstone ▲Yeongdeok Jangyuksa Temple Main Hall Mural. These four cultural heritages selected as candidates will go through a public notice process including posting on the provincial website and will be finalized at the next cultural heritage committee meeting.

Andong Maejeong-ri Rock-carved Buddha.

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