Hanging Painting of Hwaeomsa Temple (The Vulture Peak Assembly)

Hanging banner paintings are displayed outdoors on special occasions such as the Buddha’s birthday, outdoor rites, and the funerals of eminent monks.

This banner painting was painted in 1653 and depicts the scene of the Buddha’s lecture at Vulture Peak.

In this painting, Sakyamuni Buddha is portrayed in the center seated on a lotus pedestal, with two attendant bodhisattvas, Samantabhadra (Bodhisattva of Great Conduct) and Manjusri (Bodhisattva of Wisdom and Insight) to either side. In the upper and lower part of the painting, the Four Guardian Kings, the ten principle disciples, and the manifested bodies of the Buddha are depicted. Sakyamuni Buddha’s right hand reaches down toward the ground, and his left hand rests on his lap, indicating his defeat of worldly desires and his attainment of spiritual enlightenment. On top of the small altar in front of the Buddha, there are three incense burners. The beams of white light emanating from the Buddha’s forehead symbolize his teaching, which illuminates the world.

The painting measures 7.76 m in width, 11.95 m in height, and weighs nearly 200 kg. It is currently stored in the temple’s museum. In 2016, a perfect replica of the original painting was completed.

Source: Korea Heritage Service signboard ↗ · collected 2026-10-08