16th Century single-leaf Woodblock Prints from the Ssanggyesa Temple in Eunjin

Abstract

This study examines the single-leaf woodblock prints from the Ssangyesa Temple in Eunjin, which previously have not received much academic attention. Focusing on three prints from the Ssangyesa Temple, the iconography and context of publication of single-leaf woodblock prints in the 16th century were also explored. The single-leaf woodblock prints were made and published for the promulgation of Buddhist teachings, whose printing and distribution were considered a meritorious act. They were used either as amulets or for liturgical purposes of worship and prayer. Prints of Buddhas and bodhisattvas, or of preaching Buddha functioned as visual aids for worship or sutra-reading. The large number of woodblock prints made of a particular iconography is an evidence to the rise of a related worship. The three prints from Ssanggyesa Temple in Eunjin are definite examples of single-leaf Buddhist illustrations used for worship in the Joseon dynasty. Gwonsujeongeobwangsaengcheob gyeongdo, made in 1571, has writings that attest to its role as a visual aid when praying for rebirth in the Pure Land. The painting of Avalokitesvara bodhisattva was presumably also used for worship, as the two iconographies were produced as a set in many cases. However, there are also examples of Avalokitesvara paintings made independently of other works, making it possible to posit that it was made for artistic appreciation, as in the case of Buddhist drawings in the early Joseon. The painting of Tejaprabha Buddha, made in 1580, follows the tradition of a 1569 example in its composition and iconography, and shows similarities with a late Joseon example from 1644. It works as an important piece of puzzle in understanding the history of Tejaprabha Buddha paintings. Prayer to the Big Dipper, published at the Ssangyesa Temple around the same time as the painting, presents a possibility that the print was produced to be distributed to participants at an astrolatry event at the temple. Moreover, the iconographical changes also reflect a trend that emphasized the importance of the Big Dipper while that of the others were diminished.