Buseoksa Josadang Mural Restored as VR Content

The Only Existing Goryeo Temple Mural... Separated During Japanese Occupation
Restored Pre-Demolition Appearance Based on Original Copy and Hyperspectral Imaging

The Josadang (祖師堂) at Buseoksa Temple in Yeongju, Gyeongbuk, is a structure from the Goryeo Dynasty. Opposite the shrine housing the statue of Uisang Daesa (625?702) is a painting. It is the only extant mural from a Goryeo-era temple. Spread across six panels, it depicts Buddhist guardian deities such as Jeoseokcheon, the Four Heavenly Kings, and Beomcheon. During the Japanese colonial period, the Government-General of Korea dismantled and repaired the building, removing the mural from the wall. It is still preserved framed. Some parts of the back and surface cracks of the wall were reinforced with plaster. Thus, it is not in a completely intact state.

The Cultural Heritage Administration’s National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage will restore the mural’s appearance before removal as virtual reality (VR) content and release it on its website on the 27th. The iconography of the mural, damaged over many years, was thoroughly verified, and the mural’s appearance before detachment from the wall was visualized in three dimensions (3D). Son Myeong-hee, a research curator of art cultural heritage at the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage, explained, "After analyzing the iconography with experts, we restored the appearance before dismantling as drawings using the original copies of the Government-General’s reproductions and hyperspectral camera imaging results."

The National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage will reveal the detailed process at the National Palace Museum of Korea on the same day. An academic symposium will be held, presenting five topics: △ the iconographic names and arrangement of the Josadang mural △ the origins of the iconography of Beomcheon, Jeoseokcheon, and the Four Heavenly Kings △ the background and significance of the construction of Buseoksa Josadang as seen through the guardian deity murals △ modern records and digital restoration achievements of the Josadang mural △ scientific preservation of the Josadang mural. Professors Park Eun-kyung of Dong-A University, Lim Young-ae of Dongguk University, Shim Young-shin of Soongsil University, and curators Park Yoon-hee and Jeong Hye-young of the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage will take the podium.

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