Songgwangsa Temple National Master Hall: Sixteen National Masters - Bojo
Ink and color on silk
Songgwangsa Temple National Master Hall: Sixteen National Masters - Jingak
Songgwangsa Temple National Master Hall: Sixteen National Masters - Cheonjin
Songgwangsa Temple National Master Hall: Sixteen National Masters - Jinmyeong
Songgwangsa Temple National Master Hall: Sixteen National Masters - Jajin
Songgwangsa Temple National Master Hall: Sixteen National Masters - Wongam
Songgwangsa Temple National Master Hall: Sixteen National Masters - Jajeong
Songgwangsa Temple National Master Hall: Sixteen National Masters - Jagak
Songgwangsa Temple National Master Hall: Sixteen National Masters - Damdang
Songgwangsa Temple National Master Hall: Sixteen National Masters - Hyegam
Songgwangsa Temple National Master Hall: Sixteen National Masters - Jawon
Songgwangsa Temple National Master Hall: Sixteen National Masters - Hyegak
Songgwangsa Temple National Master Hall: Sixteen National Masters - Gakeom
Songgwangsa Temple National Master Hall: Sixteen National Masters - Jeonghye
Songgwangsa Temple National Master Hall: Sixteen National Masters - Hongjin
Songgwangsa Temple National Master Hall: Sixteen National Masters - Gobong
Songgwangsa Temple National Master Hall: Sixteen National Masters
SOUTH KOREA, South Jeolla, Suncheon; Joseon dynasty
Songgwangsa Temple is famous for producing 16 National Masters. Their portraits are displayed on the walls of the National Master Hall. The masters are all dressed in monastic robes and sit in wooden chairs. Some of them hold a whisk or a staff. Apart from the monk Gobong, who has gray hair, all of the masters have shaved heads. The face of each figure is carefully depicted with fine lines, and their robes are painted with deep, vivid colors. Although chairs are sometimes seen in Joseon dynasty paintings of royalty and influential people, they were not often used by monks at the time. Experts believe that their inclusion in these portraits was influenced by Chinese Song dynasty (960–1279) paintings of Chan Masters.
For more details, go to the Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Painting P-Z, page 866.
Cite this article:
author = Hsingyun and Youheng and Youlu and Wilson, Graham and Manho and Mankuang and Huntington, Susan,
booktitle = {Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Painting P-Z},
pages = 866,
title = {{Songgwangsa Temple National Master Hall: Sixteen National Masters}},
volume = 16,
year = {2016}}