Designated as a tangible cultural property of Jeollanam-do, a cultural resource with historical and cultural value, including a large-scale Buddhist painting over 6 meters long.

Jeollanam-do, Gurye Hwaeomsa Temple, 4 paintings including the Three Ages of Buddha in the Gakhwangjeon Hall

Jeonnam Province announced on the 25th that it had designated as provincial tangible cultural assets three works, including the ‘Three Buddha Paintings of the Gakwangjeon Hall of Hwaeomsa Temple in Gurye’, which clearly show the characteristics of Buddhist paintings from the late Joseon Dynasty, and one ‘Naju Imseo Stele’, which commemorates Im Seo (林㥠), a figure from the late Joseon Dynasty. The cultural assets designated this time are the Three Buddhas in the Gakwangjeon Hall of Hwaeomsa Temple in Gurye, the bronze bell in the Daeungjeon Hall of Hwaeomsa Temple in Gurye, the bronze bell in the nine-story rock of Hwaeomsa Temple in Gurye, and the Imseo stele in Naju.

The Three Three Buddhas in the Gakhwangjeon Hall of Hwaeomsa Temple in Gurye is a large-scale Buddhist painting over 6 meters long created in 1860 by the painter Haeundang Ikchan and 30 other painters. It was produced in response to the wishes of Lim Eung-hwan, the chief priest, and Lee Jong-mu, the governor of Gurye, to pray for the well-being of the royal family and royal family, the birth of a crown prince, and the relocation of the capital after the previous king. It has historical significance as a representative example of Buddhist art originating from the royal family and its production aspects in the late Joseon Dynasty. In addition, although it is a masterpiece, it has artistic value that fully demonstrates the characteristics of the 19th century Jeolla-do region’s painting style, such as stable composition and excellent writing skills.

The bronze bell in the main hall of Hwaeomsa Temple in Gurye is the only work produced in 1722 by Kim Hyo-geon, a representative craftsman who was active in the Suncheon area. The production date is clear, the preservation condition is good, and it is evaluated as being worthy of designation as a valuable material for research on the 18th century copper style and the genealogy of the Joojongjang of the president’s family.

The monument to Imseo in Naju was written by Kim Sang-heon and the calligraphy by Lee Gyeong-jae to commemorate Imseo, a figure from the Joseon Dynasty. The stele contains detailed records of Im Seo’s ancestors, family lineage, government life, activities during the Yi Gwal Rebellion, and the construction process, so it is considered to be historically and academically important as a Confucian cultural heritage.

Shim Jae-myeong, head of the Cultural Resources Department of Jeonnam Province, said, “We will do our best to preserve the province’s precious Buddhist and Confucian cultural resources in their original form and to systematically preserve and utilize them in cooperation with the city and county.”

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