• Conservation Science in Museum
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• v.20
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• pp.77-92
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• 2018

A stone seated bodhisattva (Sinsu5971) was discovered in Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do in 1974 and was transferred to the Chuncheon National Museum upon its opening in 2002. The statue had damage to wide areas and was thus difficult to restore. This study utilized 3D scanning and 3D printing technologies to identify the overall form of the statue and the degree of damage, which allowed the restoration of lost portions that otherwise could not have been accurately restored to their original shape. Prior to the conservation treatment, the pigments used to decorate the surface were investigated using an optical microscope, and their main components were analyzed with a p-XRF (Potable X-ray Fluorescence Analyzer). The deteriorated lacquered surface was stabilized using animal glue and consolidated with stone strengthener (OH-100). The investigation found that the surface of the statue was made of zeolite that was lacquered and then gilded. As for pigments, white lead was used for the white color and red lead and cinnabar were used for red. The lost portions were redesigned by mirroring the remaining parts with 3D technologies. However, it was difficult to affix the 3D printing outputs to the statue without visible gaps since the damaged parts suffered flection. The portions of the outputs to be connected to the statue were thus modified and supplemented. It was also difficult to collect data on the properties of 3D printing materials due to the lack of previous in-depth study. These obstacles are subjects for further study.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.38
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• pp.153-182
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• 2021

The Buddhist monk, Kim Ji-jang (金地藏), a native of Silla, is still revered as Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva in China. In Chinese Buddhism, Kim Ji-jang's becoming Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is unique in at least two ways. First, it is said that his becoming the bodhisattva originated not in Silla, but in China, a foreign country. Second, it is said that the historical person became regarded as a mythical being, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. The process of Kim Ji-jang's becoming Bodhisattva can be divided into three periods. The first period is the period of entering and practicing at Mount Jiuhua in China, and this also includes the period wherein he was first revered as Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. The second period begins immediately after Kim Ji-jang's death and ends three years later. In this period he became regarded as Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. The third period spans three years after his death to the present age. His status as Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva carries on at present. There are two main causes for Kim Ji-jang's transformation into the bodhisattva. The first is an internal bodhisattva process. According to Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's main vow, Kim Ji-jang's practice and edification impressed the public. The second is an external bodhisattva process. The miracles that appeared at the time of his death or the manifestation of the incorruptible relics three years after his death played a decisive role in the process of Kim Ji-jang becoming a bodhisattva. In line with the public's devotion, the Chinese imperial family repaired and supported the temple that enshrined the relics of Kim Ji-jang. Various factors could be analyzed in the process of Kim Ji-jang's becoming Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, but more than anything else, it was Kim Ji-jang's severe ascetic practices and his virtuous edification of others.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.22-43
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• 2023

This paper deals with the stone standing Avalokitesvara statue in Jeonghyesa Temple that was created by Mangong in 1924. The stone standing Avalokitesvara statue of Jeonghyesa Temple is the earliest extant Buddha statue produced by Mangong, and symbolism was given to Jeonghyesa in the process of its reconstruction. So far, there has been no study that has approached ideas and beliefs through Buddhist studies led by Mangong and specific relics. In order to proceed with this study, Mangong's legal words and anecdotes and newspaper articles during the Japanese colonial era were used to trace the dynamics of Jeonghyesa and Sudeoksa during Mangong's reign, and to investigate the effects obtained from the creation of the large Bodhisattva statue and the meaning of its location. In addition, an interview was attempted with the descendants of master, who were in charge of the sculpture at the time, to confirm the exact construction period and the list of craftsmen. It is judged that the stone standing Bodhisattva statue of Gwanchoksa Temple has been influenced by the double covering and square crown seen in the standing stone statue of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva of Jeonghyesa Temple, the large hands compared to the body, the proportion between the head and the body, and the sense of enormity felt in the body like a stone pillar. Therefore, we looked at how the standing stone Bodhisattva statue of Gwanchoksa Temple, which was produced in the early Goryeo Dynasty, could have influenced the creation of the Bodhisattva statue in the modern period. A multilateral analysis was attempted on how the image of the Gwanchoksa Bodhisattva statue, which was used as a symbol representing Chungcheongnam-do in the Chosun Exposition held in 1929 and the visit to Gwanchoksa Temple, which began with the laying of the railroad during the Japanese colonial period, was used from the viewpoint of the succession and transformation of the style. With this study as an opportunity, it is hoped that the understanding of the prehistoric Mangong representing the modern period and the horizon of Korean Buddhist sculpture research in the modern period will be broadened.

• Conservation Science in Museum
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• v.12
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• pp.1-7
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• 2011

The seated stone Buddha(Bon5190) of National Museum of Korea initially consisted of some 90 fragments, making it difficult to guess its overall appearance. Under a restoration work which lasted four months, the fragments were joined together, giving shape to a seated Stone Buddha in Bhumisparsa(earth touching) mudra and an associated figure of Bodhisattva missing the face. The statue was made from a single stone block by digging out the center. Traces of lacquer coating and a gilded layer above the lacquer coat were found in various parts. Polarizing microscopy and XRD analysis revealed that the stone was zeolite, a mineral formed through diagenesis of volcanic glassy ashes from trachytic tuff (Nuldaeri) and dacitic tuff (Guryongpo). In Korea, zeolite deposit found mostly in Gyeongsangbuk-do, in places like Yeonil, Guryongpo, Gampo and Ulsan. The restored statue of seated Buddha proved very similar in appearance to the seated stone Buddha of Deoksa Temple in Cheongdo-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do (housed in Yeongsanjeon Hall). The scroll inside the statue, containing information about the background and circumstances of creation of this Buddhist sculpture, indicates that the monk Seung-ho took part in it as the head sculptor-monk.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.93-102
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• 2013

The wooden Ksitigarbha Triad Statues (Treasure No. 1749) of Shinhungsa temple in Sokcho are enshrined in the inside of the Myeonbujeon Hall. The Statues are highly damaged physical weathering which are crack and exfoliation. Also, the Statues were deteriorated by chemical and biological weathering. This study carried out nondestructive method as deterioration map, ultrasonic measurement, X-ray and endoscopy survey for deterioration evaluation and conservation plan. As a result, Ksitigarbha Statue coated by dust and various pollutants. And gold-gilt of Statue's surface has peeled off. Head part of Mudokguiwang Statue was discolored from water leak in Myeongbujeon Hall. Domyeongjonja Statue is highly damaged by insects. Result of endoscopy, there were bee hives in the inside of the Statue. Therefore, we suggest that these Statues have need to do conservation treatment on the basis of diagnostic results.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.62-79
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• 2020

The rock-carved seated Avalokiteśvara statue at Ganghwa Bomunsa Temple is a giant rock-carved Buddhist statue that was built in 1928 during the Japanese colonial era. Although it is a year-recorded Buddhist statue that occupies a prominent place in modern Korean Buddhist sculpture history, it has not been the subject of in-depth discussion due to weak research on modern Buddhist sculptures. In this study, to examine the various significant aspects of the rock-carved Seated Avalokiteśvara statue at Bomunsa Temple as a modern Buddhist sculpture, I have managed to determine its construction year, artificers, and patrons by deciphering the inscription around the rock-carved statue; in addition I have researched the effects of the rock shapes and landforms on the formation of the Buddhist statue by comparing and analyzing the points of view of both artificers and worshipers. I have also identified the specific circumstances of the time of construction from interviews with the descendants of artificers. A monk from Geumgangsan Mountain, Lee Hwaeung, took the role of sponsor and chief painter to construct the rock-carved seated Avalokiteśvara statue at Bomunsa temple. In the beginning of its construction in 1928, more than 100 donators jointly sponsored the construction of the statue. Gansong Jeon Hyoungphil sponsored alone at the time of the place of worship's expansion in 1938. Bomunsa Temple has been regarded as one of the top-three sacred places of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva together with Naksansa Temple in Yang Yang and Boriam in Nam Hae, due to the construction of the rock-carved statue. It took about three months to construct the statue. Lee Hwaeung drew a rough sketch and then Un Songhag and five masons from Ganghwa Island took part in the carving process. We can observe the line drawing technique around the rock-carved statue because the statue was carved based on the rough sketch of the monk painter. The aspect of Lee Hwaeung as a painter is revealed; therefore, we can identify the clue of painting pattern leading to Seogongchulyou- Hwaunghyoungjin- Ilonghyegag. The rock-carved seated Avalokiteśvara statue at Bomunsa Temple is a typical Avalokiteśvara that wears a jeweled crown and holds Kundica. It makes a strong impression as it has a big square-shaped face and a short neck and is unsophisticated in general. The artificers solved the issue of visual distortion of the rock-carved statue caused by carving on a 10-meter high and 40-degree sloping rock by controlling motion to its maximum, omitting detailed expression by emphasizing symmetry, and adjusting the head-to-body proportion to be almost one-to-one. In this study, especially, I presume the unified form of sacred sculptures and Buddhist altars, without making a Buddhist altar like the rock-carved seated Avalokiteśvara statue at Bomunsa Temple, to be a key characteristic of modern Buddhist sculptures. Furthermore, I make newly clear that the six letters of Sanskrit carved on nimbus, which had been interpreted as a Six-Syllable Mantra, are a combination with Jeongbeopgye and Sabang Mantras. In addition, three iron rings driven on eaves rock were used as a reference point, and after construction they were used as a decoration for the Bodhisattva with hanging wind chimes.

• Conservation Science in Museum
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• v.15
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• pp.56-65
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• 2014

The face of the Seated Stone Buddha ^{Korean Treasure No.84} of Sinboksa Templesite in Gangneung was contaminated with a glossy resin, spoiling its beauty. The contaminants covered the face, the forehead of the urna, to the bottom of the jaw. FT-IR analysis on a sample of the contaminants identified the substance as cyanoacrylate instant adhesive, which can normally be melted with acetone and removed with a swab. However, given that the surface of the statue was severely weathered from prolonged open-air exposure, alternative removal procedures were considered, to minimize the possibility of physical damage. After research, two removal procedures were utilized: one procedure involving poultices, which had been used to remove graffiti from the Samjeondobi Stele, and one procedure involving steam sterilization, which has been used to remove resin from pottery and porcelain. When both the poultices and steam sterilization were applied together, the resin was removed within twenty-four hours, without physical work using a swab.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.19
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• pp.47-80
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• 2005

고구려는 지리적인 조건으로 말미암아 삼국 가운데 가장 먼저 불교를 수용할 수 있었으며 5세기부터 7세기사이에 고구려의 불교문화가 백제, 신라와 고대 일본에 전해져 동아시아 전체에 보급되었다. 불교 전래 당시부터 고구려 왕실이 열성적으로 불교를 신봉한 일은 충분히 주목할 가치가 있는데, 왜냐하면 중앙 집권적 국가로 전환을 시도하던 때 마침 불교의 사회적 정치적 가치를 인식하게 되었기 때문이다. 불교와 왕권이 상호 관계를 강화하는 쪽으로 힘을 결집시켰는데, 왕실은 불교에 대해서 후한 지원을 아끼지 않았으며, 불교는 전륜성왕, 혹은 우주를 지배하는 자, 미륵 그리고 보살 등 모티브의 상징적 중요성을 통치자에게까지 확대시킴으로써 통치자의 지위를 신성시하는 이념적 기틀을 제공하였던 것이다. 이런 맥락에서 볼 때 불교를 받아들인 후에 세워진 비문들이 왕명 앞에 성(聖) 자를 붙여 왕의 지위를 신성화하는 의미를 나타내고 있다는 점은 우연의 일치가 아니다. 4세기말 국가 차원에서 불교를 수용한 고구려와 6세기초 법흥왕 당시의 신라는 시대적인 차이가 있으나, 국가 발전의 같은 단계에 서있었기 때문에 이 두 나라의 초기 불교 정책에 많은 유사점을 찾을 수 있다 고구려에서 거칠부와 더불어 신라로 넘어 온 혜량법사가 진흥왕 12년에 처음 개최된 백고좌강회는 《인왕경》에 입각한 것이며, 이 법회가 신라인의 사상적 통합과 진흥왕의 위업을 향상하는 데 기여하였다고 여겨진다. 그리고 진흥왕이 말년에 승복을 입고 법운이라는 법호를 택했는데 여기서 주목할만한 것은 법운(法雲)이 《십지경》에서 말하는 보살의 수행 최종 단계 그것에서 따온 것이며, 《십지경》은 이미 고구려에 익히 알려졌을 것이었다.신라 화랑이 미륵의 현현으로 여겨졌다 함은 일찍부터 지적되어 온 것입니다만 이 논문에서, 그것은 북중국에서 5·6세기경 유행한 그리고 소미륵으로 간주된 월광동자 (月光童子)신앙이 고구려를 통해 남하여 화랑의 사상적인 바탕이 됐다는 것으로 이해하였다. 그 증거로 《수라비구월광동자경》에 나타난 용어와 고대 한반도의 지명을 들 수 있는데 이 경은 고구려의 선인(仙人) 사상 및 신라의 화랑을 간접적으로 직결시킨다는 점도 염두 할 필요가 있다.

• Conservation Science in Museum
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• v.23
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• pp.1-16
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• 2020

In this paper, Gilt-bronze Standing Avaolkiteshvara (National Treasure No. 293, M355) excavated at Gyuam-ri in Buyeo was observed with a microscope to identify the production technique applied to it. It was also analyzed with XRF and hard X-ray to identify the composition and the surface treatment techniques and casting method applied. In this statue, Avalokiteshvara is standing upright on a lotus pedestal. The lotus designs on the pedestal and those on the shawl flowing down on both sides of the statue are characteristic of Buddhist statues from the seventh century or later. The use of supports to affix the outer and inner molds and traces of injected cast were observed in the interior of the pedestal. The blisters on the arms and pedestal created during the bronze casting indicate the use of lost-wax casting, which was popularly employed for the production of mid- or small-sized gilt-bronze Buddhist statues in ancient times. The composition analysis identified a copper-tin-lead ternary alloy in the interior of the statue that was conventional used in the sixth and seventh centuries. It is likely that this simple alloy was used to facilitate casting and produce clearer expressions of designs and ornaments on the statue. Mercury (Hg) was detected on the surface of the statue, indicating the use of amalgam-plating with gold (Au) dissolved in mercury. This plating method is a common surface treatment technique used for small gilt-bronze statutes in ancient Korea.

• Conservation Science in Museum
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• v.18
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• pp.77-92
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• 2017

This study is based on a scientific analysis of the production method of the wooden seated Bodhisattva statue from Gwaneumsa Temple in Wando, which is currently housed at Chonnam National University Museum. The purpose was to investigate the characteristics of the statue's production through an X-ray inspection of the wooden timbers that make up its base material, a composition analysis of the surface layers, and microscopic observation. The votive prayers found together with the statue allowed the precise dating of the artifact to the sixteenth century, during the Joseon Dynasty. The X-ray transmission identified the statue as being made using the "ilmokjo"(一木造) technique, which means that the entirety of the statue excluding the right hand was produced using a single block of wood. The specimen analysis of the naturally exfoliated surface layer revealed that the current surface was coated with brass to restore the original gilt layer. These research findings added an interesting case to the existing related research and reaffirmed the academic value of this statue.