설악산 신흥사 극락보전에 대한 연구

Abstract

Seoraksan Mountain Sinheungsa temple was founded in the area around Sokcho in 1644 and, the main building of the Sinheungsa temple, geukrakbo-jeon(極樂寶殿) was built in 1649. From The Wooden Triad-Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Statue(神興寺 木造地藏菩薩三尊像) in the myeongbu -jeon(冥府殿), we can deduce that there was a major Buddhist service done by various monk architects who were active in Honam area at that time. The written prayer for Triad Buddhist Statue says that the statue was approved by Great Monk Byeogam Gakseong and was built by the Muyeom School (無染派), which confirms that Byeogam Gakseong who was spearheading nationwide temple constructions took a charge of Sinheungsa temple construction as well. However, we can hardly predicate that Byeogam Gakseong’s disciples of Buhyu-gye school(浮休係) were continuously involved in Sinheungsa temple since Sinheungsa temple had the Buddhist doctrines based on pyeonyang sect(鞭羊門派) of cheongheo-gye school(淸虛系). Sinheungsa temple served as a temple of pray for good luck, performing memorial ritual service(gisinjae, 忌辰齋) for the Joseon Dynasty. The signboards indicating the anniversaries of the death of Kings and Queens of Jeseon dynasty and the prayer for royal family’s well being written on the ceiling of well at geukrakbo-jeon show its close relationship with the Joseon Dynasty. Right after the death of King Jeongjo, Sinheungsa temple carried out his memorial service and was designated as a temple preparing food for ancestral rites, affiliated to Jingwan-sa temple(津寬寺). Sinheungsa temple Geukrakbo-jeon went through a total of five times of restoration and rebuilding from the 18th to 20th century and became its present form. The original form of Geukrakbo-jeon at the time of foundation can be inferred from unit plan, column spacing and the form at the time of rebuilding in the 18th century can be inferred from the flower lattice door and yeonhwa soiseo type gongpo, and the form at the time of restoration in the 19th century can be inferred from the lining sheathing. Geukrakbo-jeon was first built in the 17th century and had a similar building type with daeungbojeon of Naeso-sa temple rebuilt in the 19thcentury and daewoongjeon of Donghwa-sa temple rebuilt in the 18th century. Assuming that geukrakbo-jeon was built by master artisans in Honam area, it is understandable that it is similar in building type with daeungbojeon of Naeso-sa temple. Also, according to the theory that the building type was generalized after the 18th century, it is understandable that it is similar in building type with daewoongjeon of Donghwa-sa temple. Therefore, geukrakbo-jeon can be described as a building that was built by master artisans in Honam area in the 17th century and adopted the most common building type at that time when rebuilt in the 18th century.