When he was still a bodhisattva, before attaining enlightenment and becoming a Buddha, Bhaisajyaguru Buddha made twelve vows in which he promised to heal, comfort, and save all those who suffered from illness and other hardships. By accumulating merits over a long period of time, he eventually ascended to become Bhaisajyaguru Buddha, who is revered for healing the sick through his earnest vows

Officially designated as a Treasure, Bhaisajyaguru Buddha Triad with inscription of “Hoeamsa Temple” is a Joseon painting of Bhaisajyaguru Buddha and his two attendant bodhisattvas. At the top, Bhaisajyaguru Buddha is seated on a high pedestal adorned with patterns of lotus flowers and floral scrolls. His left hand rests in his lap, and likely once held a medicine bowl, the symbolic object of Bhaisajyaguru Buddha, but the object is no longer visible due to the erosion of the base material. Below the pedestal are the two attendant bodhisattvas, facing the Buddha with their palms clasped in reverence. The bodhisattva on the viewer’s left, wearing a crown adorned with a three-legged crow, is Suryaprabha Bodhisattva, who is associated with the sun and the wisdom to enlighten all sentient beings. The bodhisattva on the right, wearing a crown with a rabbit pounding a mortar, is Candraprabha Bodhisattva, who represents the moon and pure virtue. The two-tiered composition, with the Buddha clearly distinguished from the bodhisattvas, follows the tradition of Goryeo Buddhist paintings. However, Bhaisajyaguru Buddha’s high and pointed ushnisha (protrusion of flesh on atop the head, symbolizing enlightenment) and the depiction of the folds in his robe are new stylistic features of Buddhist paintings from the early Joseon period.

According to the inscription written on the right side of Candraprabha Bodhisattva and at the bottom of the painting, this is one of 400 Buddhist paintings depicting the Pure Land of the Buddha that were commissioned by the Joseon royal court. These included 100 paintings of a Bhaisajyaguru Buddha triad, such as this one. The inscription reads as follows:

“In the first month of the Eulchuk year of the Jiajing reign (i.e., 1565), Her Royal Highness Queen Munjeong, mother of the king, earnestly wished for the longevity of the king...and for his queen to conceive a royal heir. She thus allocated treasures from the royal treasury and commissioned skilled artisans to create a total of 400 artworks. These included 100 paintings each—fifty in gold paint and fifty in colors—of Sakyamuni Buddha, Maitreya Buddha, Bhaisajyaguru Buddha, and Amitabha Buddha. On the auspicious occasion to celebrate the reconstruction of Hoeamsa Temple, a ceremony was held in accordance with Buddhist protocols. During this ceremony, the newly created paintings, including this one, were enshrined for the first time, with the eyes being painted onto them. She then sent them to temples...”

Hence, this painting is one of 400 works commissioned and distributed to temples across the country by Queen Munjeong (1501–1565), the mother of King Myeongjong (r. 1545–1567), as part of the celebration for the reconstruction of Hoeamsa Temple in 1565 (twentieth year of King Myeongjong). Queen Munjeong is remembered as one of the most powerful Buddhist patrons of the Joseon Dynasty, when Buddhism was often suppressed in favor of Neo-Confucianism. Since her son was only twelve years old when he became king, Queen Munjeong briefly ruled the nation as regent, during which time she actively promoted policies to revitalize Buddhism. Even after her son came of age and took the throne, she still retained great power as mother of the king, who was in charge of the royal court. Using her immense power and wealth, she commissioned these 400 artworks depicting Sakyamuni Buddha, Bhaisajyaguru Buddha, Maitreya Buddha, and Amitabha Buddha as an offering to pray for the well-being of her son King Myeongjong and for his wife to give birth to an heir. Notably, the king’s only son and previous heir, Crown Prince Sunhoe (1551–1563), had recently died, which must have intensified Queen Munjeong’s desire to secure a new successor for the royal lineage, motivating her to make the grand gesture of this huge Buddhist commission.

Despite its small size, this painting exhibits a skillful application of both bold and fine lines to depict the radiant appearance of all three figures without the use of color. Although the artists’ names are not included in the inscription, the work was likely produced by official painters of the royal court, given its royal sponsorship. Significantly, the name “Cheongpyeongsanin Naam” (淸平山人 懶巖) is mentioned near the end of the inscription. “Naam” is the pen-name of Monk Bou, a prominent monk who, along with Queen Munjeong, played a leading role in the brief Buddhist revival of this period. Thus, in addition to its individual artistry, this painting also evidences the monumental Buddhist commission made through the joint efforts of Queen Munjeong, the most powerful figure in the Joseon royal court; the renowned Monk Bou, representing the Buddhist community; and the court painters, the leading artists of the era.

After the death of her grandson Crown Prince Sunhoe, Queen Munjeong prepared a “Great Equal Assembly” at Hoeamsa Temple to pray for blessings. A “Great Equal Assembly” is a large gathering open to all with no discrepancy between monks and the general public, at which various goods and the Dharma are offered to those in attendance. For this assembly, thousands of monks from across the country gathered at Hwaeomsa Temple. They made flags from red silk, adorned palanquins with gold, and played drums and flutes, while Queen Munjeong herself prepared to attend the event by bathing and reducing her meals. Sadly, these preparations weakened the health of Queen Munjeong, who was in her sixties at the time, eventually leading to her death on the sixth day of the fourth month of 1565. When the queen became ill, the assembly was cancelled, and then after her death, Monk Bou was imprisoned and Hoeamsa Temple, which had thrived as the largest royal temple in the country, was destroyed and fell into ruins. When these 400 paintings were produced in the first month of 1565, no one could have foreseen that the entire project—and the revival of Buddhism—would be erased from history within a matter of a months.

Despite the grandeur of Hoeamsa Temple and the queen’s commission, the project could not survive the death of its central figure. Thus, the 400 paintings were soon scattered or lost, such that only six have survived to this day, including four in Japan and one in the United States. As the only remnant of Queen Munjeong’s commission that is left in Korea, this painting is both a superb artwork and a precious piece of national history.

Through the course of history, some have criticized Queen Munjeong and Monk Bou for attempting to use their power to revive Buddhism, which was suppressed during the Joseon Dynasty. But is it fair to judge their actions by today’s standards? That is for each individual to decide. In any case, the radiant golden world that survives in this small painting offers a glimpse into Queen Munjeong’s wishes and into the commissioned Buddhist paintings of early Joseon, which once sparkled like distant stars.