A national treasure held by Bongjeongsa Temple in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province — the “Andong Bongjeongsa Yeongsanhoi Hanging Scroll Painting” — will go on display in Seoul.
The National Museum of Korea said Thursday it will present the work in a special exhibition, “A Buddha Leading to Enlightenment: The Andong Bongjeongsa Gwaebul,” from April 7 to June 21 to mark Buddha’s Birthday.
The museum’s annual gwaebul exhibition series began in 2006 to highlight the historical, cultural and artistic value of large Buddhist hanging scrolls kept at temples. This year marks its 20th edition. Gwaebul are oversized Buddhist paintings hung outdoors for major ceremonies, making them difficult to see up close under normal circumstances.
The Bongjeongsa scroll was made in 1710 (the 36th year of King Sukjong’s reign). It measures 821.6 centimeters (323.5 inches) tall and 620.1 centimeters (244.1 inches) wide and was created by joining 16 silk panels side by side. The painting depicts the Yeongsanhoi scene — the Buddha Sakyamuni delivering his most profound teaching at Vulture Peak in India — with the Buddha centered and flanked symmetrically by eight bodhisattvas and 10 disciples.
The faces of the Buddha, bodhisattvas and disciples use a traditional shading technique known as barim to add a pink flush. For the Buddha’s face, artists first applied red shading, then evenly painted a yellow-toned base to create volume, producing a lifelike effect.
The museum said the work also features a distinctive element found only on this scroll: a gold-leaf swastika (卍) motif attached to the Buddha’s chest, using metallic sheen to add a three-dimensional effect to the otherwise flat surface.
An inscription at the bottom records details of the project, including participants and patronage. It lists 166 people who took part, spanning different social ranks and including men and women, lay believers and monks — evidence, the museum said, of Buddhism’s broad social base at the time.
“When the scroll was hung in the courtyard in front of Bongjeongsa’s main hall more than 300 years ago, those who faced the Yeongsanhoi scene hoped to reach enlightenment as they looked upon the Buddha before their eyes,” a museum official said. The official added that the museum hopes visitors will “share and connect with the Buddha’s teachings” while viewing the work in Seoul.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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