여수 興國寺의 <諸尊集會圖> 도상 연구

A Study of the Iconography of "Jejonjibhoedo" at Heungguksa Temple in Yeosu

"Jejonjibhoedo" at Heungguksa Temple in Yeosu is a Buddhist painting produced by the Buddhist priest Kim Il-seop in 1929. This small painting less than 1 meter long features the three Buddhas, namely, the Sakya, Amita, and Medicine Buddhas at the top of the screen, and down below come the Avalokite&#347;vara, Manjusri, and Samantabhadra bodhisattvas, the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Triad, the Laughing Buddha, the Yuitaecheon, the Avalokite&#347;vara, and the four heavenly kings on both sides. Each of the Buddha figures has its own space, and they are arranged top down on the screen. Their areas are divided naturally by the clouds. This painting is the only iconography that exists in Korea, which is comprised of this composition and the figures of various characteristics. However, it turned out that the iconography of "Jejonjibhoedo" at Heungguksa is identical to the printed version of "Jejonjibhoedo" at Buyongsa Temple in Gimje owned by Kim Il-seop, who also created the painting in question. It can be inferred that the version of Heungeuksa was produced based on that printed version that exists at Buyongsa. The printed version of Buyongsa is deemed to have come from China, because its composition and the characteristics of its icons reflect the hybrid nature of Chinese religion and the influence of Chinese folk art. Unlike ordinary Buddhist paintings, the painting is composed in a way that each Buddhist figure occupies the same area from top to bottom, and such composition is commonly found in engravings of Chinese folk art. The arrangement of the figures of different characteristics in one screen is an indication of mixed religions in China. In other words, the Chinese public worshipped several different figures and wished luck, regardless of religion or sect, as long as they were believed to bring luck and prevent disasters. The "Jejonjibhoedo" of Buyongsa was also thought to have been made with an unprecedented composition by combining the Avalokite&#347;vara and the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva which were highly popular in China with the Laughing Buddha and Guan Yu of the Records of the Three Kingdoms, which had not been painted in Korean Buddhist art. In modern times, the introduction of Western culture as well as Chinese and Japanese cultures had a large impact across all areas. Buddhist painting creators in modern Korea incorporated the effects of the new cultures into their paintings. The changes made to the Buddhist iconography and expression techniques resulted in the advent of a variety of Buddhist paintings for about a century. "Jejonjibhoedo" of Heungguksa is among the leading examples that reflect such a trend. Therefore, this is an important work of art, because it helps understand the iconography and techniques of modern-age Buddhist art iconography, and it is the only and unique work of iconography in Korea, whose producer and date of production are clearly known.