Abstract

The seventeenth century witnessed the rebuilding of numerous Buddhist monasteries and temples that were destroyed during the Japanese invasion of Korea (1592~1597). The reconstruction of monastic complexes led to the active production of Buddhist images and, in turn, the bokjang (consecration) ritual for these newly created images. The bokjang (lit. “abdominal cache”) refers both to the ritual intended to imbue Buddhist images with sacredness and to the deposits enshrined inside their inner recesses during that ritual. Consequently, the majority of the extant bokjang deposits date back to the seventeenth century, during the late Joseon dynasty. This study examines the bokjang deposit of the wooden seated Buddha at Wongaksa Temple in Gwangju. Found in mint condition and investigated in August 2024, the deposit new light on the reconstruction of Buddhist monasteries and the production of Buddhist images in the Honam region around the mid-seventeenth century. The dedicatory inscription reveals that the statue was produced in 1646 at the Jeunggakam Hermitage on Mt. Seoseok by monk-sculptor Haesim and others. First, this study examines a distinctive formal feature of the main consecration container, known as huryeong tong (lit. “throat-bell container”), which is wrapped in yellow cloth, in light of the prescriptions outlined in the Yongcheonsa edition of the Josang gyeong (Sūtras on the Production of Buddhist Images), published in 1575. It also situates various uses of dhāraṇī prints inside the inner recesses of the Wongaksa statue in the context of the Precious Casket Seal Dhāraṇī cult and dharma relics. Second, this study provides an in-depth analysis of the dedicatory inscription, identifying the monks Gakseong and Taeneung as the key organizers of the entire project. A comparative analysis of this inscription with the colophons of Buddhist texts published in the seventeenth-century Honam region enables a deeper understanding of the activities of local monks. By doing so, it sheds new light on the presence of Han Chinese monks in the region, who most likely hailed from Ming China during the Japanese invasion of Korea or the Ming-Qing transition on the Chinese continent. Through these findings, this study elucidates the dynamic nature of Buddhist reconstruction projects and the ritual culture of the Honam region during the seventeenth century, thereby contributing to a more nuanced understanding of late Joseon Buddhist practices and regional religious history.