One of the main functions of the Buddhist architecture is to enhance the authorities of Buddhism and loyalties of Buddhists. That is, a Buddhist hall built in a temple is not only a place for salvation of all living things by forming the Buddhist pure...
One of the main functions of the Buddhist architecture is to enhance the authorities of Buddhism and loyalties of Buddhists. That is, a Buddhist hall built in a temple is not only a place for salvation of all living things by forming the Buddhist pure land but also a place for buddhist services. Therefore it can be considered that Buddhist halls have been built in harmony with Buddha statues and Buddhist paintings for the Buddhist service. In the above context, Deaguanggeon(大光殿,the Vairocana hall) of the Shinhung—sa(新興寺) Temple in Yangsan(Treasure No. 1120) can be an adequate object in order to research on correlations of the Buddhist halls, the Buddha statues and the Buddhist paintings in that the hall was obviously built in 1657, and that possibly created simultaneously around the construction of the hall, the Buddha statue and the Buddhist wall paintings have been well preserved. However, a few uncleared questions still make it difficult to believe that the architectural plan for the Vairocana hall at the Sinhung-sa actually reflected a plan for creating the current Buddha statue and the Buddhist wall paintings. First, the screens of both the east and west inner wall paintings, also speculated to have been created along with the construction of the Vairocana hall, are divided by Joongbang(中防,structure member lying across between columns in wooden buildings). Second, as in each of the east and west inner wall paintings are Buddha Bhaisajyaguru and Buddha Amitabha, it is assumed for them to have consisted of Samsebul(三世佛, Buddhas of the three Buddhist pure lands) with the currently inexistent wall painting on Hubulbeok(後不壁, the behind wall of the main hall without regard for the main Buddha of main hall). In addition, the Buddha statue, probably enshrined around the same era, is not Samsebul but the Buddha Triad. Third, the scale of the statue is relatively small compared to that of the roomy Buddhist hall. Finally, when viewed through the Buddha statue and wall paintings, the Buddhist hall would be named rather Daewoongeon(大雄殿, the Shakyamuni hall) than the Vairocana hall. Keeping these questions in mind, this study aimed to examine such facts as how the plan for building the Buddha statue and the Buddhist wall paintings was reflected in the architectural plan for the Vairocana hall of the Sinhung-sa, and when or how the current Buddha statue and the Buddhist wall paintings were actually created and enshrined in the hall if there were some contradictions between the current ones and the plan. This study comes to conclusions as follows: In the chapter II (the Analysis of the Chronicle and Related Records), through finding out new resources, this study discovered the facts that the Vairocana hall of the Sinhung-sa had been partly ruined, and that the original Buddha statue had been damaged and destroyed. That is, the current Buddha statue, known so far to have been built shortly after the construction of the hall, was moved from another temple. Also, from the analysis of Sangrangki(上樑記, records of construction)and Joongsuki(中修記, records of repairs), this study examined changes in the classes of patrons and the groups of merchants. In the paragraph 1 of chapter III (the Architectural Plan for Enshrining the Buddha Statue), this study researched and analyzed on Buddhist halls and Buddha statues from the Chosun Dynasty to estimate the scale of the original Buddha statue in the Vairocana hall of the Sinhung-sa. Through this, it is estimated that the total height of the original Buddha statue used to be at least over 2 meters tall. In the paragraph 2 of chapter Ⅲ (The Architectural Plan for Creating Wall Paintings), this study compared the Vairocana hall at the Sinhung—sa with Buddhist halls from Chosun Dynasty whose wall paintings for worship have still remained. In short, it was nearly likely to be planned to draw the Buddhist wall paintings on the other side of Hubulbeok when the hall was constructed. Meanwhile, creating the side wall paintings had nothing to do with the architectural plan. In the paragraph 1 of chapter IV(Features and Chronologies of the Buddha statue), through the stylistic chronologies, the current Buddha statue is believed to have been created in around 1680 by an artisan named Seong Ho(勝湖, 勝浩, 勝葫). In the paragraph 2 of chapter IV (Features and Chronologies of the Buddhist Wall Paintings), through the stylistic analysis, this study showed that the side wall paintings were created in around 1801, and that the wall painting on the other side of Hubulbeok was painted in between the late 19th and the early 20th centuries. In particular, through the iconographical analysis of Samguaneumdo(三觀音圖, the wall painting of three Avalokitesvaras) on the other side of Hubulbeok. the study discovered that the iconography of the left Avalokitesvara considered as Alam Guaneum(魚籃觀音,the Avalokitesvara holing a fish tray) had been probably derived from that of Namhea Guaneum(南海觀音, the Avalokitesvara of the South Sea) of Samjaedohwoe(三才圖會). In the chapter V (the question of the name 'Deaguanggeori'), this study examined the composition of three Buddhas, achieved by the original Buddha statue and the side wall paintings, in the traditions of enshrining the three Buddhas from the Chosun Dynasty. Also, through such as patterns of reconstruction projects in the 17th century, philosophical tendencies of Sung Sun, an artisan leading the construction of the Vairocana hall, and the iconography of the upper wall paintings of Neamokdori(內目道理, structure member lying horizontally long below rafters), the study discovered that the main Buddha of the Vairocana hall is nearly likely to be a Buddha Vairocana. Shortly, The name Vairocana is probably not a wrong name of the Shakyamuni hall but the original and correct name for the Buddhist hall of the Sinhung-sa.