三陟 鳳凰山 彌勒佛의 特徵과 造成 背景

Abstract

The main discussion of this study focuses on the origins of the Maitreya Buddha Statues of Bonghwangsan Mountain in Samcheok and the aesthetic relationship between the statues and other works of mainstream Buddhist sculpture in Korea. The discussion concludes that the origin of the statues is closely connected with other Buddhist sculptures made in and around Samcheok during the same period. The discussion also deals with the meaning of "the murderous energy" which led to the origin of the statues, and the reason why the creators of the statues decided to ward off evil energy with Buddhist images. The main conclusion of the discussion is that the stone statues of Bonghwangsan Mountain in Samcheok were inspired by the Buddhist images enshrined in local Buddhist temples such as Samhwasa, Cheoneunsa, Sinheungsa and Yeongeunsa. Unfortunately, the carvers of these statues were unable to copy the originals faithfully and achieve their organic harmony due to a lack of carving skills and experience as well as knowledge of Buddhist sculpture. Considering the remarkable similarity between the facial expressions of the stone guardians standing at the royal tombs of Joseon and those of the Maitreya statues of Bonghwangsan Mountain, the latter could have been made by artisans of Samcheok and Gwandong(the East Coast of Gangwon-do Province) area. As for the background to the stone images, it is generally accepted that Yi Gyu-heon, influenced by the Pungsu (or Feng Shui) principles relating to "guardian temples and pagodas" established during the Goryeo period (918-1392), placed them on the summit of Bonghwangsan Mountain in the belief that they would help prevent fire and expel the evil forces that were threatening the lives of the inhabitants of Samcheok-bu. The statues were moved to their current location some twenty years later according to the aspirations of the people of Samcheok to reach the utopian world ruled by Maitreya Buddha and the traditional folk belief in the dragon as a supreme power. Although they were created relatively recently, in the nineteenth century, and lack aesthetic merit, the Maitreya Statues of Bonghwangsan Mountain in Samcheok hold significant value in terms of the history of the local community, art, Buddhism and folklore. Specifically, the statues are directly connected with the efforts of a local administrative head to protect his town against disasters caused by evil forces, and thus provide important clues for studies on the area in the late Joseon period. The statues are also regarded as an important tangible source for research on Korean Buddhist sculpture of the nineteenth century. The combination of characteristic features of Buddhist and Confucian sculptures also makes the statues a useful resource for studies on the supply and demand of artisans who created stone sculptural works during the late Joseon period. The statues are also regarded as a valuable source of knowledge regarding the influence of Buddhism on the lives of the inhabitants of Samcheok during late Joseon, and the tradition of Maitreya worship that they preserved in particular. They also constitute tangible evidence to support the theory that the principles of Pungsu were exploited by the ruling class of Joseon in order to govern the regions more effectively and that the principle of using a guardian temple or pagoda to ward off evil forces remained influential from its emergence in the Goryeo period to the late Joseon period. Finally, the statues are also important sources for folklore studies, particularly the tradition of dragon worship among the common people of Samcheok.