Buddhist Art in Gangwon: A Path to Enlightenment

The Chuncheon National Museum is opening a new permanent exhibition, "Buddhist Art of Gangwon: The Path to Enlightenment." Gangwon's pristine nature lends itself perfectly to Buddhist practice, seeking to cleanse suffering and achieve enlightenment. Since Buddhism was adopted by Goguryeo in 372, Buddhist architecture and artwork have been produced throughout the country. The earliest records of Buddhism in Gangwon are related to the Silla Dynasty. Famous monks of the Silla Dynasty left traces of their activities at Geumgangsan Mountain, Odaesan Mountain, and Naksansa Temple. Following Gyeongju and its surrounding areas during the Unified Silla Dynasty, Gangwon flourished as a Buddhist culture. During the Goryeo Dynasty, large temples were built, particularly in Wonju. The diverse aspects of Gangwon's Buddhist art are evident in the large iron and stone Buddha statues of Wonju and the Tibetan-style Bodhisattva statues of Geumgangsan Mountain. Central temples in the region, such as Woljeongsa Temple and Yujeomsa Temple, continued to exist even during the Joseon Dynasty. Traces of this Buddhist art can be found throughout Gangwon and at museums. This newly created exhibition hall, featuring Buddhist rituals and sculptures, aims to delve into what the "Enlightened One" Buddha realized, how he put this realization into practice, and what the world of enlightenment looks like. We hope that as you progress toward enlightenment, you will face suffering and ultimately reach a peaceful time free from suffering.