National Treasure to Appear in Seoul for First Time

Buddhist Hanging Scroll from Sinwonsa Temple

The National Museum of Korea will open an exhibit of Korea’s National Treasure No. 299, a giant hanging scroll painting of Rocana Buddha, on April 28, in celebration of the Buddha’s Birthday.

The exhibit, entitled “The Buddha Illuminates the World,” is unprecedented. The 17th-century painting has never been taken to Seoul before from its permanent home, Sinwonsa Temple. Nestled in the foothills of a scenic mountain in Chungcheongnam-do Province, the temple has long been known as a sacred place to pray for peace of the nation and public well-being.

Huge scroll paintings of Buddhist deities, called gwaebul, have been traditionally hung for large-scale outdoor Dharma assemblies and special ceremonies at Korean temples. The painting of Rocana Buddha, dated to 1664, is recognized as an outstanding example of Buddhist artwork of the Joseon Dynasty and representation of Korean Buddhist culture. Painted on a canvas made by joining 19 pieces of hemp cloth, it is some 10 meters high and 6.5 meters wide, and weighs over 100 kilograms. Three and a half centuries after it was created, the painting retains its lustrous hues in excellent condition [Figure 1].

The painting presents Rocana Buddha at the center [Figure 2], rendered wearing a gorgeous crown and a robe of colorful design adorned with shining beads [Figure 3]. He is surrounded by disciples, the Four Heavenly Kings and bodhisattvas, who are gathered to listen to his sermon in the midst of brilliant light spreading all around.

One of the “three bodies” of the Buddha, Rocana Buddha is the Reward Body, or Sambhogakaya, which symbolizes boundless merit attained through spiritual practice and benevolent behavior over an immeasurable period of time. The overwhelming presence of the Buddha and the festivity of light and colors brimming all over offer a glimpse of the ideal world envisioned by Buddhists at the time [Figures 4, 5].

The World of Monk Artists

A colophon toward the bottom of the scroll lists the names of donors and monks who were involved in its creation [Figure 6]. The painting is an outcome of cooperation by five monk painters, who worked actively in the Chungcheong region. Nine years later, in 1673, three of them collaborated again to produce another large hanging scroll for Sudeoksa Temple in Yesan.

During the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), the large hanging scrolls for massive outdoor temple events were created by monk artists. The results showed the beautiful world dreamed by monk painters who were ascetics and artists at the same time. When not in use, the scrolls are kept in wooden containers at temple halls, so they are not ordinarily available for public viewing.

The painting of Rocana Buddha will be shown at the museum’s second-floor hall for Buddhist paintings until September 26. It will be a rare occasion for most people to see such a large Buddhist scroll painting. The exhibition is intended to provide visitors with a respite from the COVID pandemic so they can enjoy a heartwarming moment amid splendid light of the Buddha.