Naju-si, Yeongcheonsa Wooden Jizang Bosal and Others Designated as 'Jeonnam-do Designated Cultural Heritage'

[Naju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Han-hyuk Lee] The city of Naju, Jeollanam-do (Mayor Kang In-gyu) announced on the 17th that the ‘Yeongcheonsa Wooden Jizo Bodhisattva Seated Statue’ has been designated as Jeollanam-do Tangible Cultural Property No. 346, and the ‘Yeongcheonsa Wooden Amitabha Buddha Seated Statue’ has been designated as Cultural Property Material No. 294.

Yeongcheonsa Temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism was founded by Monk Gwanbul in 1954.

The Jizo Bodhisattva statue designated as a tangible cultural property was identified through radiocarbon dating as made from pine trees felled around 1535, and due to its stylistic similarities with early Joseon period Buddhist statues, it is presumed to be the work of the sculptor Hyangeom (香嚴), who was active during this period.

It features balanced body proportions, graceful facial features, a posture with one leg released from the lotus position and lowered beneath the pedestal, and ornaments, embodying characteristics of mid-to-late 16th-century Buddhist statues. It is expected to serve as an important resource for clarifying the flow of Buddhist sculpture styles from the 15th to 17th centuries.

Meanwhile, the Amitabha Buddha seated statue expresses stylistic features typical of mid-17th-century Buddhist statues, such as the shape of the head, the depiction of clothing folds, mudras, and body proportions with a high and wide knee and a short upper body.

Notably, relics found inside the statue include Dharani, the Diamond Sutra, the Gaegeum Prayer Text, and the Hwachewijin mantra. Among these, the Dharani (dated 1648) was confirmed as evidence supplementing the Buddhist creation period.

In addition to the two Buddhist cultural properties, the ‘Portrait of Cheokseojeong Jeong Hae-il’ was designated as Jeollanam-do Tangible Cultural Property No. 345.

The ‘Portrait of Jeong Hae-il’ is a work by Chae Yong-shin (1850?1941), a representative portrait painter of the late Joseon period. It is a cultural property notable for its detailed depiction of a blue-green official robe, a gaunt face, and a half-white beard, and is currently entrusted and preserved at the National Naju Museum.

Mayor Kang In-gyu said, “We celebrate this meaningful occasion of designation as a Jeollanam-do cultural property ahead of Buddha’s Birthday on the 19th,” and added, “We will continue to promote the designation of cultural properties for systematic preservation, research, and promotion of our region’s precious cultural heritage.”

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