서산 개심사 보현선원 목조보살좌상 연구

Abstract

In Daejeokjeon (The Hall of Great Silence) of the Bohyeon Seon (Zen) Center in Gaesimsa Temple, which is located in Seosan, Chungcheongnam-do Province, there is a wooden seated bodhisattva (113 cm high) enshrined on the right side, as an attendant. This statue hasn’t been accessible to the public for a long time, as it is enshrined in the Seon center, a practicing ground. For that reason, it has neither been introduced to the public, nor researched for its value. This abstract aims to determine the production date of the wooden statue and explore its characteristics, following its study. In Gaesimsa, there are almost no records about the temple, nor reference materials available. The history of the enshrinement of the wooden seated bodhisattva was primarily verified by property ledgers created by the Government-General during the Japanese colonial period (1910-1945), in addition to modern temple records. Through these sources, we were able to confirm the transfer of its enshrinement at the Bohyeon Seon (Zen) Center in 1995, following the statue’s enshrinement in Simgeomdang (The Hall of Mind-Sharpening) of Gaeunsa Temple during the Japanese colonial period. We also know that it was placed in storage during the 1960s. Comparing this statue to others constructed in the same period, the production of the wooden seated bodhisattva of Gaesimsa Temple is believed to be from the 14th century, in the late Goryeo period (918-1392). Images from an X-ray scan, conducted as a part of the scientific research, corroborate the fact that Bulbokjang, sacred objects stored in the abdomen of the statue, remain inside. After further investigation, when the letter of aspiration is discovered, the production period of the statue can be pinpointed much more accurately. When it comes to the proportions and clothing style of the wooden seated bodhisattva of Gaesimsa Temple, its traditional elements are identified as having been influenced by China’s Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279). These are commonly found in the Buddha statues of the late Goryeo period (918-1392) in southern Chungcheongnam-do Province. In particular, the areas of Seosan and Taean in the province were key locations leading to the southern route to Ningbo, a major port in east China’s Zhejang Province, beginning from Kaesong, in North Korea. Due to its geographical characteristics, frequent exchanges between cultures must have taken place with Ningbo, China. From that time onward, these regions were strongly influenced by China’s Southern Song Dynasty, unlike other areas. In addition, it can be assumed that their Buddhist sculpture style was likely preferred even during the 14th century period, despite the interference of the Yuan Dynasty of China (1271-1368).