조선 전기 성문형 지장보살상의 유행과 도상의 특징

Abstract

In buddhist iconography, Jijangbosal(地藏菩薩, Kṣitigarbha) is normally depicted with a shaven head. This typical figure of Jijangbosal is derived from Buddhist sutra called Daeseungdaejibjijangsiblyungyeong(大乘大集地藏十輪經). In the sutra, Jijangbosal show Buddhust Monk’s figure(聲聞形) so that has been maintained as the iconographic rule of Jijangbosal. Also, Seokjang(錫杖, Khakkhara) and Boju(寶珠, Cintamani) became two symbolic objects representing his virtue since the late Tang dynasty. In Korea, depicting Jijangbosal with a shaven head was the traditional way to describe him. but from the 14th to first half of the 15th century, another type of Jijangbosal, wearing a hood(被巾形), were widely sculpted and painted. This has been pointed out as one of the important characteristic of Jijangbosal in 14th and 15th century. Then, the figure of Jijangbosal changed again from wearing a hood to having his head shaved since the late 15th century and this remains unchanged until the late Joseon Dynasty. Another significant characteristic of Jijangbosal in the early Joseon period is the appearance of Seokjang. Unlike Jijangbosal statues in the late Goryeo period, which held only Boju without Seokjang, Jijangbosal statues of the early Joseon period held both Boju and Seokjang. Because it has a strong symbolism as an object that opens the gates of hell, it is thought that Seokjang appears reflecting the belief in the salvation of hell by Jijangbosal in the ealry Joseon period. Espeically, in terms of the iconography of ‘a young monk who opens the gates of hell by tapping Seokjang', Moklyeonjonja(目連尊者, Ven. Moklyeon) and Jijangbosal are the two only holy buddhist beings that share the same image and story. Jijangbosal and Moklyeonjonja have something in common that they enter the hell directly to save their mother, and in both narratives Seokjang plays a key role as a tool that opens the gates of Hell. So during the same period, in the Ming Dynasty, it is confirmed that those two are gradually combined or sometimes even treated as the same icon. And it is possible that this tendency was shared in Joseon as well. Because of those iconopghraic commonality and religious connection between Jijangbosal and Moklyeonjonja, it is possible that statues of Jijangbosal has changed into shaven figure with Seokjang on his hand.