Visualization of Buddhist Ritual and Monastic Projects in the 17th Century through the Muryangsa Gwaebul (1627)

This study examines the visualization of Buddhist rituals and the nature of temple reconstruction projects in the early 17th century Joseon, focusing on the Muryangsa Gwaebul created in 1627. Following the devastations of the Imjin and Byeongja Wars, major temples across Joseon—including Muryangsa—suffered significant damage. In response, large scale reconstruction efforts were initiated from the early 1600s, centering around the monk Takgyu (琢)珪, who oversaw the rebuilding of Geungnakjeon Hall, the creation of a principal Buddha statue, the production of a monumental gwaebul, a temple bell, and ritual plaques (jeonpae). These efforts contributed to the restoration of Muryangsa's religious centrality and institutional prominence. Takgyu, later honored as Baengnyeon-daesa, was not only the abbot of Muryangsa but emerged as a key figure in the broader Buddhist community of Joseon. His name appears in the gwaebul's inscription as “daesa,” and he maintained a central role across successive projects for over three decades. His lineage formed the basis for a Seon tradition at Muryangsa, continuing through monks such as Soyot’aenŭng, Nŭnghŏdang, Punggye, and Pyowŏlsa’il, helping to establish Muryangsa as a pivotal Buddhist center in Chungcheong Province in the postwar era. The Muryangsa Gwaebul is the second oldest surviving gwaebul in Korea and is distinguished by its depiction of a standing Maitreya Bodhisattva holding a lotus bud and wearing an elaborate jeweled crown. This iconographic form, referred to as the “majestic deity” (jangŏmsin) type, gained popularity in the Chungcheong region and came to define one of the standard gwaebul types of the mid-Joseon period. Of particular note are the numerous female-faced miniature Buddhas depicted within Maitreya’s crown, which align with descriptions from the Bulsŏl gwan Mireuk bosal sangsaeng dosolch’ŏn kyŏng (Sutra on the Visualization of Maitreya Bodhisattva’s Rebirth in Tusita Heaven). These visual elements serve as a manifestation of the Pure Land's cosmology and reinforce the doctrinal underpinnings of the painting. The gwaebul’s compositional structure thus functioned not only as symbolic imagery but also as a visual medium that facilitated ritual practice and religious devotion. Based on ritual manuals such as the Yŏngsandaehoe jakpŏp chŏlch’a (1615) and the Ojong pŏmŭm chip (1661), which detail procedures for displaying large Buddhist paintings in public rituals, the Muryangsa Gwaebul was likely used in repentance rituals (ch’amgyŏng kŏbul) centered on scriptures of contrition. Evidence from contemporaneous practices at Beopjusa and Geumsansa further suggests that the deployment of gwaebul was more flexible in actual usage than textual norms might imply. In this regard, the Muryangsa Gwaebul represents a critical turning point in the development of late Joseon gwaebul iconography. It is a comprehensive visual Buddhist artifact that integrates monastic reconstruction, iconography, devotional ideology, and ritual practice into a single pictorial composition. This study underscores the importance of interpreting gwaebul iconography within its ritual and institutional context, and calls for further research into inscriptional analysis, spatial deployment in ritual settings, and the interrelationship between regional devotional traditions and visual expression.