The Representation of Women in Kamnodo of the Chosŏn Dynasty and Its Significance

Abstract

In the Buddhist paintings known as Nectar Ritual Painting (Kamnodo 甘露圖), which depicts the ritual of food offering (sesik 施食) for hungry ghosts (agwi 餓鬼), there are various representations of women, including nuns and laywomen, engaged in different roles. Although Chosŏn society was built upon Neo-Confucian ideals that imposed restrictions on women's religious activities, Buddhism, which promote religious practice without gender discrimination, offered female practitioners a sense of equality, fulfillment in their vows, and liberation. Of the seventy known works of Kamnodo, around forty feature depictions of nuns, providing valuable historical evidence about Buddhist nuns and their representation. In addition, women in professional roles within Chosŏn society, such as court ladies (sanggung), female shaman and female entertainer (sadang), are depicted as central figures in Kamnodo. Importantly, these women often acted as patrons for the creation of such painting. The continued Buddhist sponsorship from female devotees contributed to the translation of sacred scriptures into Han'gŭl and fostered the development of narrative painting genres like Kamnodo, which were used as visual aids in Buddhist lectures. While Kamnodo is primarily a religious painting aimed at making intangible spiritual beliefs visible, it also serves as a historical record. Created for the salvation of souls, it reflects the ideals, desires, and, at times, the fears of the community, offering key insights into the social conditions of the time. By examining the meanings and transformations seen in Kamnodo, we can gain a deeper understanding of gender perception in Chosŏn Buddhist art.