Museum of Korean Buddhist Art

www.buddhistmuseum.co.kr

Introduction of Museum

Museum of Korean Buddhist Art was established in July 1993 as a private museum located near a world cultural heritage site, Changdeokgung (Palace) in central Seoul and has played an important role as a museum exhibiting traditional Korean Buddhist works.

The Buddhist art in Korea, which displays the joys and sorrows of life and expresses a longing for the wishes of all living beings, has historically been regarded as not only the spiritual foundations, but the precious cultural heritage of Korean people.

Museum of Korean Buddhist Art has collected over 6,000 Korean Buddhist works including paintings, sculptures, crafts, ritual items, folk items, ceramics and etc.

Museum of Korean Buddhist Art also has a Buddhist Temple called Anyangam in Changsin-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul as the Branch of the Museum since May 2004.

Anyangam was established in 1889 and consists of the seven Buddhist Halls. Stone-Carved Avalokitesvara, 5 Buddhist paintings and Wood-Carved Amitabha Triad in Anyangam were designated as the Seoul Tangible Cultural Properties. In addition, Ksitigarbha Triad with the 10 Kings of Hell, Guardian Paintings, 1,500 Images of Buddha and etc. in Anyangam were designated as the Seoul Cultural Materials. As a living Buddhist Museum, Anyangam displays vivid images of Korean Buddhist Art.

Museum of Korean Buddhist Art will always try to show the quintessence of elegant and beautiful Korean Buddhist Art.

Major Collections of Relics

Buddha Sakyamuni's Sermon on the Mount Grdhrakuta (The Vulture Peak)

Era: 1741 CE

Material: Ink and colors on silk

Size: 372× 305㎝

This painting shows Buddha Sakyamuni preaching the doctrines of the Saddharma-pundarika-sutra on the Mount Grdhrakuta (The Vulture Peak). The Buddha sits cross-legged on a lotus on a Buddha-seat and makes the gesture of preaching with both his hands. He is accompanied by ten Bodhisattvas including Manjusri and Samantabhadra, ten monk disciples including Ananda and Kasyapa, two gods, i.e. Indra and Brahman who appear in the form of Bodhisattva, two warriors, eight demi-gods, four guardians, and the dragon king and queen.

A Set of Copper-Made Bells

Era : Joseon Dynasty

Material: Wood

Size: 188.5㎝

This set of bells named as Poong-gyung is hung inside the Buddhist Halls such as Gueg-rag-jeon (the Hall of Paradise), being different from others hung on the edge of the eaves outside. It is also called Ban-ya-yong-seon-dai, which refers to a dragon shaped boat symbolizing the wisdom and means of reaching the Buddha Amitabha's western paradise. Its main body consists of a straight bar with two dragon's heads on both sides and sixteen bells hanging in a row on the bottom. Two boys hanging on the ropes of both sides symbolize the eagerness of living beings who wish to be reborn in the western paradise.

Tripitaka Painting

Era: 1665 CE

Material: Ink and colors on Silk

Size: 249.5× 375.5㎝

This painting depicts the Ksitigarbha trinity representing the mercy and compassion. Generally Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha consoles the living beings only in hell, who is shown in the center of the left side of the painting. This painting, however, has another two Ksitigarbhas; one is the main figure in the center who consoles the living beings in the sky and the other is shown in the center of the right side who consoles the living beings on earth. In addition, a variety of deities including Ksitigarbha's attendants are positioned around the three main figures. One of the characteristics of this painting is the horizontal positions of the main figures in a line.

Nine Grades of the Pure Land of Amithabha (From Simjeokam)

Era: 1778 CE

Material: Ink and colors on silk

Size: 192.5×180㎝

This painting depicts the Pure Land of Amitabha located in the Western Paradise, where all living beings when reborn are divided into nine grades depending on the actions of their previous lives. This painting can be judged as a masterpiece for showing the peculiar style of the Joseon Buddhist paintings. At the top of the painting in the center is the Buddha Amitabha. On both his upper sides are positioned two birds with human heads. The Buddha Amitabha is accompanied by Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara on his left and Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta on his right. In the top left corner stand the twenty-six past Buddhas, and in the top right corner stand twenty-seven Buddhas. Below Amitabha are found Bodhisattvas and human beings reborn in a lotus lake. On both sides of the lotus lake two palaces are drawn, in the halls of which are Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. The rest of the painting features Bodhisattvas, Arhats, Offering Goddesses, Guardians and shaven-headed monks, etc.

Avalokitesvara with Water and Moon (Treasure No. 1204)

Era : 1730 CE

Material : Ink and colors on silk

Size : 142×104cm

The paintings named Avalokitesvara with Water and Moon were very popular during the Goryeo Dynasty and the Joseon Dynasty. Though this painting was deeply influenced by the conventions of Goryeo paintings, it has considerable modifications from Joseon techniques and styles. The Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara who is well composed in the center of the painting sits on the auspicious grass above a rocky throne in the waves. He is endowed with one large halo behind his body and one small green halo around his head. He is wearing a splendid crown decorated with lotuses and beautiful jewels. Below is the boy Sudhana paying his respects to Avalokitesvara.
Differing from the Goryeo paintings, the significant characteristics of this painting are the frontal pose, the elongated figure, the small facial features, and the stylized and abstract lines used to depict the robes and the waves.

Votive Shrine of Ksitigarbha Triad

Era: 1689 CE

Material: Wood

Size: Height 43cm, Diameter 25cm

This wooden object symbolizing a Buddhist shrine that contains Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha together with his two accompanying Bodhisattvas, i.e. Do-myung (Chinese, Dao-ming) and Mu-dok (Chinese, Wu-du), shows a unique configuration among the popular votive shrines of the 17th century. Like a typical style of the time, this votive shrine consists of three niches, which are spread side by side when being unfolded, and which appear like an oval-shaped shell when being folded. Ksitigarbha as the main deity is sculptured and placed in the central niche. He has a shaven head, sits cross-legged on a lotus and makes the hand gestures. All these details are characteristics of the period between the late 17th century and the early 18th century. He is accompanied by two standing Bodhisattvas, i.e. Do-myung on his left and Mu-dok wearing a crown on his right (from the Ksitigarbha's position), whose smiling faces reflect a perfect harmony with the feature of Ksitigarbha.

Five Arahats

Era: Joseon Dynasty

Material: Wood

Size: Height 52㎝

Arhat means saints who have fully realized the Buddha's doctrine for themselves, and who are free from the cycle of rebirth. This peculiar wooden carved sculpture shows five Arhats who have various facial expressions and are banded together. The outlines of their eyes, eyebrows and beards are drawn thinly with ink. Each Arhat holds the other's clothes, which makes the figures look independently, and this style is regarded as one of the characteristics prevalent between the 17th and 18th century.

Three-Storied Stone Pagoda

Era: Unified Silla

Material: Granite

Size: Height 467.5cm

This three-storied stone pagoda stands on a two-storied platform made during the Unified Silla Dynasty. The lower part of the platform is composed of four stones, and each of four sides has a carved support pillar and a corner pillar. The cap stone is also composed of four stones.
The main part of the pagoda consists of body stones and roof stones made with single stones. The corner pillars are carved on the body stones. There are four-storied bases underneath and two-storied bases above each roof stone. The exposed roof stones of the pagoda are very steep and their eaves turn sharply upward at the edges. Though the gradual decrease of body stones, the manner of exposed roof stones and the way of organizing stones contain the features that appeared in the later period, it is a typical Unified Silla style pagoda symbolizing elegant beauty.

Stone-Carved Avalokitesvara (Seoul Tangible Cultural Property No. 122)

Era: 1909 CE

Material: Granite

Size : Total Height 353cm, Niche Width 275cm, Knee Width 210cm

The Avalokitesvara in the stone niche of Anyangam Temple was carved in 1909. The Avalokitesvara is seated cross-legged on a pedestal decorated with upturned lotus petals, and a halo behind the head and the body is connected to the statue. The left hand is raised to the chest, and the thumb and middle finger form a circle, while the right hand is on the stomach. There are two pillars on both sides of the Avalokitesvara, and the upper portion of the pillar is cylindrical and the middle portion is octagonal. This statue has a great meaning because it was made in the very end of Joseon period based on typical Joseon convention.

Amitabha (Seoul Tangible Cultural Property No. 189)

Era: 1919 CE

Material: Ink and colors on Silk

Size: 690×324cm

This painting of the Buddha Amitabhaas was painted in 1919 by one of the best Korean Buddhist painters named Gosandang Chugyeon. The central figure is the Buddha Amitabha, who is surrounded by several Bodhisattvas including Avalokitesvara, Mahasthamaprapta, Ananda and Kasyapa, etc. Though the details of Amitabha's face are roughly depicted, the painter's unique gradation can be identified through the red coloured costume, green coloured halo of Amitabha, and the white coloured costume of Avalokitesvara, etc. In addition, the three-dimensional effect outstands from the depiction of Kasyapa and Ananda.

Museum Location

Location

Address: 108-4 Wonseo-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Korea

Phone

Telephone: 82-2-766-6000, FAX: 82-2-766-6003

E-mail

buddhistart@paran.com