고성 옥천사 대웅전 불석제(佛石製) 불상 연구

Abstract

Okcheonsa is a temple built by Veneral Uisang upon his return from his study under Zhiyan in Tang dynasty. The temple is one of ten Hwaeom temple designated by Uisang himself. The temple was bestowed on many great masters, however, was burnt down during the Japanese Invasion (1592) in the Joseon Dynasty. In the aftermath of the war, pavillions and Buddha statues for ceremonial obeisance destructed in flames were recreated and enshrined as perspectives on monks started to change. In particular, restoration of Okcheonsa Temple was initiated under the guidance of Hakmyeong and Uio in 1639, and many Buddha statues and pavillions including the Hall of Utmost Bliss, Great Hero Hall and Hall of Ksitigarbah Bodhisattva were rebuilt in the process. Most statues were made of wood at the time, however, the statues enshrined in the Great Hero Hall and Hall of Ksitigarbah Bodhisattva were made with zeolite stones. Such statues have common formative features of the late Joseon dynasty including body ratio and face. However, the statues also demonstrate unique features made by Keongok, most reknowned monk sculptor of the time, and others who suceeded his style. Many zeolite Buddha statues created in the late Joseon Dynasty were enshrined in temples located near the coast such as Busan and Ulsan, as Okcheonsa Temple in Goseong. Zeolite Buddha statues were first created in the 15th century during the Joseon Dynasty. It was called Cheong-ok(靑玉, sapphire) at that time which the present name Ok-seok(jade) originates from. Zeolites for such Buddha statues were cut from the present Hamwolsan Mountain and Cheontaesan Mountain in Gyeongju. Back in the Joseon Dynasty, the mountains were called Bulyeongsan Mountain(佛靈山) or Bulseoksan Mountain(佛石山), and the statues were shipped on the sea route connected from Donghaecheon stream to the sea in Gampo.