영광 불갑사 명부전의 지장삼존상과 시왕상 연구

Abstract

Twenty-one wooden Buddhist statues, produced in 17th century, are enshrined at the Myungbujeon Hall of Bulgapsa Temple in Yeonggwang. They include the Statues of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Triad [Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, Domyung, and Mudokgwi], Underworld Kings, Judges etc. Some kinds of Enclosed Relics were discovered in the sixteen buddhist statues among twenty-one including dedicatory inscription, Huryeongtong, Buddhist scriptures (Sutras). It is extremely rare case to be found intact enclosed relics from almost every statues of Myungbujeon Hall created in the late Joseon Dynasty. According to the dedicatory inscriptions, these statues were created by monastic sculptor Muyeom (who is known as a master sculptor of the Wooden Seated Sakyamuni Buddha Triad at the Daeungjeon Hall of Bulgapsa Temple crafted in 1635), his diciple Haeshim, Jeonghyun and assistant sculptors in 1654 (5th year of King Hyojong). From the characteristics of sculptural style and the dedicatory inscriptions, it is reasonable that those statues were created under the initiative of monastic sculptor Haeshim in collaboration with his colleagues. Haeshim played roles as a master sculptor of buddhist sculptures at the Myungbujeon Hall of Munsusa Temple in Gochang, Dogapsa Temple in Yeongam as well as Bulgapsa Temple in Yeonggwang. These temples were the places where Monk Gakseong and other sect members of Monk Buhyu stayed. The buddhist statues enshrined at the Myungbujeon Hall of Bulgapsa Temple, with a definitive year of production (1654), are considered to have a high value in studying the activities of the monastic sculptors and monks who led the reconstruction efforts of Buddhist temples at that time.