Lee Chiho

SOUTH KOREA

Lee Chiho was a Korean painter who specialized in creating Buddhist images. He was sent to Bongwon Temple in Seoul to join the monastic order at the age of six due to a prophecy told during his birth that he would be a difficult child to raise. He learned the art of Dancheong painting, a traditional Korean Buddhist style of colorful decoration, while studying in Buddhist college. Lee was a diligent student, and in just a few years, he created over 9000 illustrations of various Buddhist figures. By the age of 18, his teachers acclaimed him a Gumeo, which is a title given to monks who are well-versed in Buddhist painting. Lee subsequently became the head of the Geumgang Mountain School at Anjeong Temple in Seoul. He was awarded the Eun-gwan Medal (Silver Crown), an Order of Cultural Merit in 1988, and afterwards assumed various positions within the monastic community in Korea.
Lee received recognition in 1972 as an Important Intangible Cultural Property of Korea for maintaining the Dancheong tradition of Buddhist art. His works range from murals in the Dharma Hall of Bongwonsa Temple in Seoul, to scroll paintings in temples across all provinces of Korea. A written work entitled Collection of Lee Chiho’s Dancheong Paintings was compiled and published.