Hapcheon Haeinsa Temple Holds Ceremony to Commemorate Yeongsanhoesangdo's Promotion to National Treasure

Designated as a Treasure in 1997
Elevated to National Treasure Status After 27 Years

On the 18th at 1 p.m., the Haeinsa Temple Cultural Heritage Museum in Hapcheon, Gyeongnam, held a ceremony to commemorate the designation of the ‘Hapcheon Haeinsa Yeongsanhoesangdo’ as a National Treasure.

The ceremony was attended by about 100 people, including National Assembly member Shin Seong-beom, Choi Eung-cheon, Director of the National Heritage Administration, Park Myeong-gyun, Deputy Governor of Gyeongnam Province, Kim Seong-hee, Chief of Gyeongnam Police Agency, Kim Yoon-cheol, Mayor of Hapcheon County, Jeong Bong-hoon, Chairman of Hapcheon County Council, Yoo Mi-sook, Chief of Hapcheon Police Station, Haeinsa Temple Head Monk Hyeil, Deputy Head Monk Hakam, senior monks and believers from the mountain temple.

Haeinsa Temple Hapcheon Yeongsanhoesangdo.

The event began with the opening declaration by Jin-gak, Director of Haeinsa Temple’s Education Department, followed by the Three Refuges, recitation of the Heart Sutra, offerings of incense, tea, and flowers, greetings, commemorative speeches, congratulatory speeches, presentation of the National Treasure designation certificate, and a commemorative photo session.

The ‘Hapcheon Haeinsa Yeongsanhoesangdo,’ newly designated as a National Treasure, was originally designated as a Treasure in 1997 and has been elevated to National Treasure status after 27 years. This Buddhist painting depicts the scene of Shakyamuni Buddha preaching on Yeongchuksan Mountain. It was created in 1729, led by the monk painter Uigyeom (義謙) along with a total of 12 monks who participated as painters. The composition of the screen, the arrangement of the figures, and the detailed expressions of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas are intricate, and the work is highly regarded for its artistic completeness and excellence.

In his congratulatory speech, Mayor Kim Yoon-cheol said, “Reflecting on the significance of the National Treasure designation, we deeply realize our responsibility to widely promote and preserve its cultural value. We will do our best to preserve and manage this precious heritage so that it continues to inspire many people and enhances our pride in our history and culture.”

Meanwhile, with the elevation of the ‘Hapcheon Haeinsa Yeongsanhoesangdo’ to National Treasure status, the number of National Treasures held by Hapcheon County has increased from six to seven. Hapcheon County plans to continue focusing on systematically preserving and researching cultural heritage to enhance the value of National Treasures and Treasures.

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