Study on Buddhist Sculptures and Temples in Gyeryongsan National Park

Gyeryongsan Mountain was considered an important national memorial service site during the Three Kingdoms Period. It was a famous mountain with bizarre peaks and beautiful scenery that impressed the noble classes during the Joseon Dynasty. Historic temples and hermitages date to the present with the tradition and history of the Gyeryongsan Mountains. Donghaksa, Gapsa, and Sinwonsa are representative templates for various literary materials and cultural heritage sites. These templates provide important data for content utilization. The Gowangam and Mamyeongam Hermitages, with no traces now, have left behind folktales related to the defeat of the Baekje Dynasty. Most Buddhist sculptures in the temples and hermitages in Gyeryongsan date back to the 17th century or later during the Joseon Dynasty. Although Gyeryongsan is a rocky mountain, few stone Buddha statues exist, but many outstanding wooden Buddha statues from a formative point of view in the late Joseon Dynasty, as well as clay Buddha sculptures and Zeolite Buddha statues in the modern period, have notable features. Buddhist sculptures and temples in Gyeryongsan are important subjects for intensive investigations and future research. By analyzing their characteristics, it is necessary to consider the Buddhist cultural significance of Gyeryongsan as a national park.