[Exhibition]

Encounter with Amitāyus in Sukhāvatī, Buddhist Hanging Scroll at Heungguksa Temple

In 2014 celebration of the Buddha’s Birthday, the National Museum of Korea presents the special exhibition Buddhist Hanging Scroll at Heungguksa Temple. Since 2006, this is the eighth installment in the museum’s ongoing series of exhibitions of banner paintings used for Buddhist rituals.

The banner painting(Gwaebul) featured in this exhibition was painted in 1902 for Heungguksa Temple in Goyang-gun, Gyeonggi Province. The gwaebul was commissioned and donated by Empress Sunheon, the second wife of Emperor Gojong, the king of the Joseon Dynasty(1392~1910). Empress Sunheon, a former court woman of Empress Myeongseong, became the Empress herself after Empress Myeongseong’s death. Empress Sunheon dedicated the scroll to Heungguksa Temple as an offering for the well-being of the royal family: Emperor Gojong, herself, the crown prince, the crown prince’s consort, and Prince Imperial Yeongchin. The gwaebul also signifies Empress Sunheon’s wish to meet the “Buddha of Infinite Life” in the Western Paradise.

Buddha of Infinite Life is another name for Amitabha Buddha, a celestial Buddha who is believed to reside in the Western Paradise or Pure Land. “Amitabha” may be translated as “infinite light” and is believed to grant eternal life; as such, Amitabha Buddha is sometimes known as either the Buddha of Infinite Light or the Buddha of Infinite Life. Notably, this gwaebul was painted in the early twentieth century, a period of significant historical and social turmoil in Korea. At that time, when calling on the Buddha of the Western Paradise to help them overcome the suffering and strife of their everyday lives, the Korean people often preferred the title of the Buddha of Infinite Life, rather than Amitabha Buddha.

We hope that this magnificent gwaebul exudes the spirit of the poignant stories and earnest wishes that countless believers have offered to it over the years.