Stele of Buddhist Monk Jingyeong from Bongnimsa Temple Site, Changwon

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.363

Category

Books & Records

Era

통일신라시대

Designated year

1963

Location

용산구, 서울특별시— 서울 용산구 서빙고로 137, 국립중앙박물관 (용산동6가)

Coordinates

37.524041, 126.980350

This is the stele for Simhui, who was a Buddhist monk in the late Unified Silla period. The stone was located in the Bongnimsa Temple site in Changwon, Gyeongsangnam-do but was moved to Gyeongbokgung Palace in 1919. Now it stands in the National Museum of Korea. The stele consists of three parts, the usual tortoise-shaped pedestal, the body and the capstone. The turtle holding the magic stone in its mouth is inordinately large. There is a small hole in the head, where there might have been a horn, and copious cloud designs around the square hole on the upper back for the stele to be fixed in. Some of the inscription engraved on the body of the stone has disappeared, but it has been preserved in the form of an ancient rubbed copy. On the capstone, two dragons are engraved on each corner, surrounded by clouds. The sculpture is engraved so shallowly and has a tendency to adhere to fixed forms, and it shows the decadent traits of the last days of Unified Silla. The contents of the inscription were about Simhui’s achievements and the fact that he was respected by the people, and that he converted many kings to Buddhism after making a tour of noted mountains and becoming a monk. After he entered Nirvana at Bongnimsa Temple in the 7th year of the reign of King Gyeongmyeong of Silla at the age of 68, the king granted him the posthumous epithet 'Jingyeong' and the name of his stele, 'Bowolneunggong'. An inscription composed personally by King Gyeongmyeong was written by Haenggi and engraved by Seonghyu. It was written in the standard calligraphic style influenced by the Ouyang Xun style.

Location