ACTA KOR ANA VOL. 17, NO. 1, JUNE 2014: 223–253 A STUDY OF EARLY KORYŎ STATUES OF THE GREAT MONK SENGQIE EXCAVATED FROM P’AN’GYO-DONG, SŎNGNAM CITY∗ By KANG HEEJUNG The three sculptures excavated from P’an’gyo in 2008 are rare examples dating from the early Koryŏ period. This article examines the period of manufacture of the gilt-bronze Buddha and bodhisattva excavated from Area C of Zone 10 in P’an’gyo. The icon- ography of the two statues with hands held together in prayer is not clear. It is possible that they are images of Kṣitigarbha, Sengqie, or Arhat, but none display any one typical iconography. From the excavation site, Northern Song dynasty currency was recovered, and this indicates that the statues are from that period. This is supported by the fact that these two images are similar in style to eleventh-century Song statues. During the Mongol invasions, the region of P’an’gyo was severely affected and its entire population wiped out. Kṣitigarbha belief would have acquired currency as the area rehabilitated. This article puts forward the hypothesis that after the Mongol invasions, the statues, which originally represented Sengqie to “protect” the area, came to be regarded as images of Kṣitigarbha. The popularity of Kṣitigarbha belief, after the country suffered greatly from Mongol attacks, can be confirmed by the existence of Kṣitigarbha images that have survived from that period. Even if these statues are difficult to analyze on the basis of style and iconography, they show not only distinct regional characteristics, but are important examples that reveal the local beliefs of the late Koryŏ Dynasty. Keywords: P’an’gyo, Sengqie, Kṣitigarbha, Koryŏ, Song, Mongol ∗ This work was supported by the Sogang University Research Grant of 2013 (201310074.01). I would like to thank all the archaeologists, especially Dr. Hun-jin Chung and Chungbae Kim, who excavated this marvelous site and gave me so much information. 224 Acta Koreana Vol. 17, No. 1, 2014 I. P’AN’GYO DISTRICT’S ZONE 10 BUILDING SITE, AND THE EXCAVATION OF BUDDHIST SCULPTURES The three sculptures excavated from P’an’gyo in Sŏngnam City in 2008 are rare examples dating from the early Koryŏ period.1 These sculptures were excavated from the housing development site of P’an’gyo District in Sŏngnam City. Administratively, the area belongs to Pundang District, Sŏngnam City, Kyŏnggi Province, and is spread across three towns: P’an’gyo-dong, Hasanun-dong, and Samp’yŏng-dong. This area was investigated as part of a housing site development project that was motivated by a balanced area-development strategy. The cultural heritage investigation in P’an’gyo District started in 2001 with a ground survey being conducted by the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation.2 The “C” area of Zone 10 where the Koryŏ Buddhist sculptures were found subsequently went through a trial excavation in 2005, and a full excavation in 2007–2008.3 As a result of these excavations, in Area C of Zone 10, the site of a south-facing building and facilities was found, along with a stone coffin tomb and nine wooden coffin tombs. The associated relics excavated from the site indicate that the building was established around the end of the Koryŏ period or the beginning of the Chosŏn period. A gilt-bronze Vairocana Buddha statue, two gilt-bronze Bodhisattva-like images, and a gilt-bronze small stupā were found together, making it possible to assume that the building was used as a small hermitage 4 (temple) (Plate 1). 1 “Early Koryŏ” refers to the period used as a standard in Korean art history that divides the history of Koryŏ into two periods. The division lies in 1270, the time when the Mongol invasion and occupation of Koryŏ took full force. Therefore, the period starting from the establishment of Koryŏ (918) to 1270 is considered “early Koryŏ,” whilst 1270–1392 is referred to as “late Koryŏ.” 2 See Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation ed., Sŏngnam P’an’gyo chigu t’aekchi kaebal saŏp yejŏng puji munhwa yujŏk chip’yo chosa pogosŏ [Report on the Cultural Heritage Ground Survey of the proposed site for housing development in P’an’gyo District of Sŏngnam] (Sŏngnam: Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation, 2002). 3 Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation ed., Sŏngnam P’an’gyo chigu munhwa yujŏk 2 ch’a palgul chosa- 8 ch’a chido wiwŏn hoeŭi charyo [Information for the 8th Advisory Meeting – 2nd Excavation for the Cultural Heritage of P’an’gyo District] (Sŏngnam: Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation, 2008a); Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation ed., Sŏngnam P’an’gyo-dong yujŏk II - Sŏngnam P’an’gyo chigu munhwa yujŏk 2 ch’a sibalgul chosa pogosŏ [Report of the 2nd Trial and Main Excavation for the Cultural Heritage of P’an’gyo District, S ngnam II] (Sŏngnam: Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation, 2008b). The reporter designated the areas by the han’gŭl terms “Ka”, “Na”, and “Ta”. Here for the convenience of the readers, I haveǒ changes them to “A”, “B”, and “C”. 4 Yun Seonyoung (Yun Sŏn-yŏng), “Sŏngnam P’an’gyo chigu munhwa yujŏk palgul ŭi sŏngkwa,” [The outcome of the cultural heritage excavation in P’an’gyo District, Sŏngnam City], Che 13 hoe haksul hoeŭi palp’yo nonmun chip – P’an’gyo t’och’on chigu palgul munhwajae ŭi pojŏn pang’an [13th academic symposium presentation papers – The conservation plan for the excavated cultural heritage of Kang: A Study of Early Koryŏ Statues of the Great Monk Sengqie 225 This article examines the period of manufacture of the gilt-bronze Buddha and Bodhisattva-like images excavated from Area C of Zone 10 in P’an’gyo District, as well as their characteristics and significance. As there are very few examples of early Koryŏ Buddhist statues for which the period of manufacture can be identified with the aid of written evidence or inscriptions, the sculptures of P’an’gyo are of great significance as early Koryŏ works. Analyzing the excavated material and the site in tandem could contribute to restoring the past culture and religion of the P’an’gyo area, and to a widening of the horizons of Koryŏ cultural studies. The building site from which the Buddhist sculptures were recovered is in Zone 10 of the P’an’gyo housing site development area. Zone 10 is located at the end of the eastern mountain range of Mt. Kŭmt’o, which is to the east of the Sŏ- P’an’gyo area. From the ground survey conducted in 2001, the site of a building thought to date from the late Koryŏ to early Chosŏn period was confirmed. In consideration of the terrain, Zone 10 was divided into three parts, for excavation purposes. From the northwestern slope came Area A and B, and the eastern slope of the range became Area C. From Area A, eighteen wooden coffin tombs were recovered and two pits unearthed, whilst from Area B one stone coffin tomb and four wooden coffin tombs were recovered. From Area C, the discovery of a building and facilities, together with one stone coffin tomb and nine wooden coffin tombs, was confirmed.5 Area C consists of two hills. The south-facing building site and its affiliated facilities were revealed from the western hill of Area C, which is on the northeastern side of Zone 10. From this building site, a large number of roof tiles and pottery pieces were excavated, and all date from the late Koryŏ to early Chosŏn period. Additionally, white porcelain from the Chosŏn period was excavated. The affiliated facilities site—featuring a floor-heating system—is adjacent to the east of the building site, and to the south of the affiliated facilities, a site where a stone lantern was supposedly located has been confirmed. Further south, a stone drainage system was found. The north of the building site is encircled by an outer wall, and between the building site and the wall, a stone terrace was found. The building site of Area C is small in size, and because not P’an’gyo and T’och’on Districts] (Sŏngnam: Local Culture Research Institute, Sŏngnam Cultural Center, 2008). 5 Detailed information on the building site and the related excavated sites in Area C in Zone 10 can be found in the excavation report of the Sŏngnam P’an’gyo District. Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation ed., Sŏngnam P’an’gyo-dong yujŏk II - Sŏngnam P’an’gyo chigu munhwa yujŏk 2 ch’a sibalgul chosa pogosŏ. 226 Acta Koreana Vol. 17, No. 1, 2014 many buildings had been constructed during that period, it is highly likely that the site is of a hermitage rather than a large-scale temple. The statues, small gilt-bronze stupā, and stone stupā were excavated from within and around the building site. From the central northern wall of the building site—where the discovery of foundation stones has been confirmed—the two Bodhisattva-like sculptures, celadon dishes, shards of earthenware pottery, and a great number of roof-tile fragments were unearthed. Roof-tile pieces were piled up in front of the southern foundation, from which the upper part of the small gilt-bronze stupā and one Vairocana Buddha were recovered. Three other pieces—presumably belonging to the top of a stone stupā—and one piece of a stone lantern were found as well, and numerous roof tiles were found in places where the building site’s surrounding walls once were. From the south of the adjacent affiliated facilities building, a furnace was found equipped with floor- heating systems; this finding indicates that the building had been used for residential purposes.