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Buddhist Paintings of Okcheonsa Temple, Goseong (Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and Ten Underworld Kings)

고성 옥천사 지장보살도 및 시왕도 ( 固城 玉泉寺 地藏菩薩圖 및 十王圖 )

Heritage Search Detail
Classification Treasure
Name of Cultural Properties Buddhist Paintings of Okcheonsa Temple, Goseong (Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and Ten Underworld Kings)
Quantity 9
Designated Date 2010.12.21
Age
Address Okcheonsa Temple 471-9, Yeonhwasan 1-ro, Gaecheon-myeon, Goseong-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do

The paintings on the themes of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and the Ten Underworld Kings, housed in Okcheonsa Temple, were created in 1744, by a group of eleven monk painters, led by Hyoan. The ten-panel painting of the Ten Underworld Kings is missing two of the panels portraying Jingwangdaewang and Chogangdaewang. Okcheonsa Temple used to house, along with the paintings of Ksitigarbha and the Ten Underworld Kings, two other paintings representing the scene of the Vulture Peak Assembly and a Bodhisattva Buddha Triad that were painted in 1744 by Hyoan, but the latter were stolen from the temple, sometime in the past. The painting of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva portrays Ksitigarbha wearing a headscarf. The areas to the left and right of Ksitigarbha, placed in the center, are divided into two tiers. The bottom tier shows Mudokgwiwang (Innoxious King of Ghosts) and Domyeongjonja (Daoming) and two Bodhisattvas, and the top tier, six Bodhisattvas, divided in two groups of three. Of these six Bodhisattvas in the top row, the two who stand right next to Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva on his either side are facing forward, while all other members of his retinue are turned toward him. The composition is taut, well-thought out and well-balanced. The Ten Underworld Kings is a set of eight (originally ten) panels, each devoted to one of the ten kings. The panels are divided into two sections by a series of clouds: the upper section shows one Underworld King, seated on a chair with a dragon head decoration and surrounded by his retinue, and the bottom section displays the scene in the section of hell governed by each king. The earliest example of the Ten Underworld Kings painting in this style is said to be the one dating from 1742, originally housed in Beomeosa Temple. But, the location of this painting is currently unknown. Quite a few paintings were made in later eras, on the theme of Ten Underworld Kings, on ten separate panels, like this painting of Okcheonsa Temple. Many are identical in composition to it, except for the addition of a folding screen behind the chair of the Underworld Kings. The Painting of Ten Underworld Kings dating from 1764 (Horim Museum) and the one dating from 1798, of Tongdosa Temple are two examples. The Painting of Ten Underworld Kings of Okcheonsa Temple, therefore, provided a prototype for late-18th century paintings of Ten Underworld Kings. The Painting of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva of Okcheonsa Temple is stained or discolored in places with some creases and cracks, but the state of preservation is good enough for the faces of the main Buddha and the member of his retinue to be clearly made out. The Ten Underworld Kings panels appear to be in the original mounting and are well preserved. The Painting of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and that of Dosidaewang are on silk, and seven other panels of the Ten Underworld Kings painted on ramie. These paintings are faithful examples of 18th century Buddhist paintings enshrined in Myeongbujeon Hall.