Utilization of the Iconography of Buddhist Prints during the Joseon Dynasty—Focusing on “the Listener” in Sakyamuni Preaching Paintings

Jahyun Kim

doi:10.3390/rel12050324

Abstract

This paper focuses on the iconography of “the Listener” in Buddhist prints that was adopted in Joseon dynasty Sakyamuni Preaching paintings. Regarding change in the Listener iconography from bodhisattva form to monk form, diverse research has been conducted on the Listener’s identity and origin. However, existing studies are limited as they fail to consider the circumstances of the time this iconography was first adopted and trends in Joseon Buddhism. As the first Joseon print where the Listener in bodhisattva form appeared was based on a print from the Chinese Ming dynasty, and considering trends in publication of Buddhist prints in China where pictures of the Buddha preaching were used repeatedly in sutras regardless of the contents, this paper argues that the Listener should not be identified with any particular figure and examines the current state and characteristics of Joseon Buddhist paintings where the Listener appears. It also explores the possibility that the Listener’s change from bodhisattva form to monk form was driven by monk artists such as Myeongok, who were exposed to diverse iconography as they participated in creating both Buddhist paintings and prints in a situation where monks who had received systematic education gained a new awareness of iconography.

Highlights

If we examine the introduction of the Listener icon and its process of change based on the works presented in Table 1, the Listener first appeared in Sakyamuni Preaching paintings of the Joseon dynasty during the sixteenth century in the form of bodhisattva
In the case of the Listener appearing in Sakyamuni Preaching paintings, the change from bodhisattva form to monk form has been the subject of study for many researchers
During the Joseon dynasty, the iconography of the Listener in Sakyamuni Preaching paintings first appeared in bodhisattva form in the print of the Lotus Sutra published at Gyeonseongam Hermitage (1459, Gyeonseongam edition), which was commissioned by Lady Shin, wife of Prince Gwangpyeong

Summary

Introduction

Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Prior studies overlook the background to the publication of the first Joseon print featuring the Listener in bodhisattva form, such as the fact that it was based on a print from China, and that prints with the same iconography were used in various sutras aside from the Lotus Sutra They try to identify the Listener from the iconographic perspective only under the preconception that such prints were produced exclusively as a frontispiece illustration for the Lotus Sutra. Regarding the source of the iconography for the Listener in monk form, it has been suggested that the side view of Subhuti (a prominent disciple) appearing in Diamond Sutra prints was adopted in Buddha Preaching paintings.. Examining movements in the Buddhist circle as the source of change in the iconography, this paper explores the possibility that monk artists who had worked on Buddhist paintings adopted the new iconography after being exposed to it while working on various Buddhist projects

Iconography of the Listener in Joseon Dynasty Buddhist Paintings for Worship

Adoption of the Listener in Monk Form and Changes

16. Iconography

Conclusions