Goryeo Five Hundred Arhats, Sejong Biamsa Buddha Statue, and Others to Be Designated as National Treasures

"Yuhang Teacher's Poetry Collection" and "Portable Angbuilgu Sundial" Also Proposed as National Treasures

Five Hundred Arhats of Goryeo [Provided by the Cultural Heritage Administration]

The Cultural Heritage Administration announced on September 12 that it plans to designate the "Five Hundred Arhats of Goryeo," the "Sejong Biamsa Temple Wooden Amitabha Buddha Statue," the "Yuhang Teacher's Poetry Collection," and the "Portable Angbuilgu Sundial" as National Treasures. The agency will collect opinions from various sectors for one month and finalize the designation after a review by the Cultural Heritage Committee.

The "Five Hundred Arhats of Goryeo" is one of approximately 500 paintings created during the Mongol invasions of the 13th century, intended to pray for the nation’s recovery. It was produced alongside the "Five Hundred Arhats of Goryeo" housed at the National Museum of Korea, which was designated as a treasure in 2016. This painting depicts the 329th Arhat, Wonsangjujonja, and an inscription records its creation in 1235, as well as the names of the patron Kim Heein and the donor Lee Hyukchum. The work is notable for its bold brushstrokes and nuanced shading, and it is considered a rare example among Goryeo Buddhist paintings with a clearly documented production date.

Sejong Biamsa Temple Seated Amitabha Buddha Statue [Provided by Cultural Heritage Administration]

The "Sejong Biamsa Temple Wooden Amitabha Buddha Statue" is believed to have been created in the mid-16th century. It is characterized by a unique production method in which the outline was shaped with wood and the details finished with clay. As a rare early Joseon period clay Buddha statue, its manufacturing techniques have been revealed through scientific analysis, making it an important resource for the study of Buddhist sculpture history.

Yuhang Teacher's Poetry Collection [Provided by the National Heritage Administration]

The "Yuhang Teacher's Poetry Collection" is a compilation of poems by Han Soo (1333-1384), a civil official from the late Goryeo period. It is the first edition, published using woodblocks in 1400 in Geumsan, Jeolla-do (now Geumsan-gun, Chungcheongnam-do), and later served as the basis for various subsequent editions. Only three copies of this edition are known to exist in and outside of Korea, and the copy held by the Seokjuseon Memorial Museum at Dankook University, which is the subject of this designation, is in the best condition. It also includes a preface by Kwon Geun, an epitaph by Lee Saek, and a royal edict by King U, providing insight into Han Soo’s life, philosophy, scholarship, and character.

Portable Angbuilgu [Provided by the Cultural Heritage Administration]

The "Portable Angbuilgu Sundial" is a sundial made by Kang Moonsoo in 1908, currently housed at the Seoul Museum of History. Its surface is carved into a hemispherical shape, with a gnomon and compass attached to measure time. The precision of its construction makes it highly valuable as a resource for the study of modern scientific history.

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