법주사 대웅보전의 조영계획 연구

Abstract

The study examined the constructional relationship between Buddhisttemples and their statues of the Buddha with a focus on the Daewoongbojeonof Beopjusa Temple and the Buddha Triad enshrined inside it, which provideaccurate data about their construction among existing Buddhist temples andstatues of the Buddha. Before examining the constructional relationship between Buddhist templesand their statues of the Buddha, this study analyzed records regarding theDaewoongbojeon of Beopjusa Temple and the Buddha Triad. This confirmedthat the gap between the construction periods of the Buddhist temple and thestatue of the Buddha(8 years) did not result from their separate construction,but resulted during their construction process within a single construction plan. Therefore, if the construction of a Buddhist temple is related to its statues ofthe Buddha, it is highly likely that the plan for the statues were establishedduring the planning stage for the temple, and therefore, the temple and thestatues were created within a single plan. The results of a quantitative analysison the Daewoongbojeon of Beopjusa Temple and the Buddha Triad, whichwere built within a single construction plan confirmed that the temple's planeand elevation and even the statue's enshrined location were set according to aconstruction module (height of the statue, height of the statue and the altar)based on the height of the statue. Here, an interesting fact is that the size thatdoubles the height of the seated statue coincides with the minimal elevationspace (height up to the crossbeam). This suggests that the space was designedby considering the size when the seated statue stood up, similarly to human body proportions in which the standing height nearly doubles the sittingheight. This method is similar to the design method for the space of generalhousing based on human scales. Therefore, this may have reflected the intentof people during the respective period, who recognized Buddhist statues as theBuddha with vitality, and thus did not want the Buddha (its statue) to beconfined by the space of a temple. In addition, the constructional relationship between the Daewoongbojeon ofBeopjusa Temple and the Buddha Triad confirmed the fact that proportionalrules such as the golden ratio were applied in setting the total height of theBuddhist statue (height of the statue and the altar) and its location forenshrinement. This application of proportional rules was to enableworshippers to look at the Buddhist statue within the Buddhist temple as themost ideal and stable appearance. As the above shows, the constructional relationship between Buddhisttemples and their statues of the Buddha, which was identified based on theDaewoongbojeon of Beopjusa Temple and the Buddha Triad, is also confirmedby similar design methods exhibited in other Buddhist temples constructed inthe late Joseon Dynasty and Seokguram Grotto built in the period of unitedSilla. This shows that since ancient times, statues of the Buddha had been usedas the most important element in constructing Buddhist temples. Therefore,specific rules applied to the construction of Buddhist temples may haveexisted.