Suncheon Songgwangsa Yeongsanhwesangdo and Palsangdo to Become National Treasures

Production Using Iconography from 'Seoksseewonryueunghwasajeok'
Presenting a New Model of the Eight Scenes Painting in the Late Joseon Period

The 'Suncheon Songgwangsa Yeongsan Hoesangdo and Palsangdo,' representing the Palsangdo of the late Joseon period, will be designated as a National Treasure. The Cultural Heritage Administration announced on the 27th that it will collect opinions from various sectors for a month and finalize the designation through a review by the Cultural Heritage Committee.

This Buddhist painting was designated as a Treasure in 2003. It was created as one Yeongsan Hoesangdo and eight Palsangdo paintings to be enshrined in the Yeongsanjeon Hall of Songgwangsa. Palsangdo is a Buddhist painting expressing eight historical events from the life of Sakyamuni as themes. It is based on the concept of Palsang shared within the Buddhist cultural sphere.

The themes, iconography, and expression methods vary by country. In Korea, during the early Joseon period, Palsangdo paintings were produced by adopting the Byeonsangdo (visual representations of Buddhist scriptures or doctrines) from the 'Worin Seokbo (月印釋譜).' In the late Joseon period, the iconography presented in the 'Seoksi Wonryu Eunghwa Sajuk' became popular.

The representative work of that time is the Suncheon Songgwangsa Palsangdo. Through the hwagi (records related to the painting’s creation, including the patron and artist), the production date of the first year of King Yeongjo of Joseon (1725) and the painters such as Uigyeom (義謙) are clearly known.

The Cultural Heritage Administration explained, "It is confirmed as the earliest work enshrining both Yeongsan Hoesangdo and Palsangdo simultaneously in one hall," and added, "Both Palsangdo and Yeongsan Hoesangdo were created using the iconography from the Seoksi Wonryu Eunghwa Sajuk, making them complete as a unified set of Buddhist paintings." They further evaluated, "It is significant in that it presents the diversity of Yeongsan Hoesangdo and a new model of Palsangdo in the late Joseon period."

Another notable feature is that each panel of the Palsangdo maintains unified brushwork and colors centered around the Yeongsan Hoesangdo. The numerous figures composing the Palsang are also depicted with delicate brushstrokes. The Cultural Heritage Administration stated, "The use of the hall and pine trees secures spatiality, and the natural handling of spatiotemporal transitions according to events demonstrates outstanding artistic value in composition and expression."