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| yna@yna.co.kr 2026-09-03 13:34:38
SEOUL, Sept. 3 (Yonhap) -- Major Buddhist cultural heritage items, including Buddhist scriptures published under the leadership of the Joseon royal family in the early Joseon period, are set to be designated national treasures.
The Korea Heritage Service said on Thursday that it has announced plans to designate four cultural heritage items as national treasures: "Buljeongsim Dharani Gyeong" (Chinese and Korean versions), "Pyeongchang Sangwonsa Seated Sakyamuni Buddha Triad and 16 Arhats with Associated Relics," "Songgwangsa Temple's Painting of the 53 Buddhas in Suncheon," and "Magoksa Temple's Bronze Bell in Gongju."
"Buljeongsim Dharani Gyeong" is an Esoteric Buddhist scripture that says copying, possessing and reading the scripture can ward off calamities.
The "Buljeongsim Dharani Gyeong" announced for designation contains both the Chinese-language version and a Korean version in which the Chinese text was rendered in Korean, with three volumes of each.
The Chinese version is a woodblock-printed edition published in 1485 under the leadership of Queen Insu, mother of King Seongjong (reigned 1469-1494), while the Korean version was printed with metal movable type cast in 1455.
An official from the Korea Heritage Service said there are no known cases of books containing both the Chinese and Korean versions that have been preserved in their original form and designated as national treasures.
Compared with other books containing only the Chinese version, the item is also considered outstanding in terms of its content and printing condition.
"Pyeongchang Sangwonsa Seated Sakyamuni Buddha Triad and 16 Arhats with Associated Relics," housed at the Seongbo Museum of Woljeongsa Temple in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province, consists of 21 statues and 34 associated relics found inside the statues.
The statues were originally enshrined at Unboksa Temple in Yecheon, North Gyeongsang Province, and some of the missing statues were recreated in 1711.
The statues were moved from Unboksa Temple to Sangwonsa Temple around 1885-1886 and were repainted under the leadership of the royal family before being enshrined in Yeongsanjeon Hall.
Records left from the creation of the Buddhist statues show that the wooden statues made in 1711 were created by Hyeju, a little-known monk sculptor, giving them significant research value.
"Songgwangsa Temple's Painting of the 53 Buddhas in Suncheon" is an example of the 53-Buddha faith being represented through Buddhist art.
The 53-Buddha faith is based on the belief that reciting the names of the 53 Buddhas described in the "Sutra of the Buddha's Names and Bodhisattva King Medicine" and worshiping them allows believers to encounter Buddhas throughout the ten directions and have their grave sins erased.
The Korea Heritage Service said the painting is "a rare example of the 53-Buddha faith being expressed in a Buddhist painting" and that it has great significance in art history because it reflects the distinctive style of Uigyeom, a monk painter who represented his era.
Also announced for designation as a national treasure, "Magoksa Temple's Bronze Bell in Gongju" is believed to have been made in 1654 by Boeun, a monk artisan, based on an inscription on the bell.
The bell was originally made to be enshrined at Angoksa Temple but is believed to have been moved to Magoksa Temple when Angoksa was abandoned around the mid-18th century.
The bell bears carvings depicting, among other scenes, a monk kneeling and clasping his hands in prayer before a Bodhisattva statue. It also contains records listing items donated by worshipers for the production of the bell, adding to its historical significance.
The Korea Heritage Service plans to gather opinions from various sectors during a 30-day public notice period, review the items and then finalize their designation as national treasures following deliberation by the National Heritage Committee.
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