| Deok-cheon-sa [Virtue of Heaven Temple] on the southwest side of Geum-seong-san contains this magnificent Mountain-spirit painting. San-shin sits on a Chinese-style throne in green robes (very rare!) with official-rank insignia-patch, wearing an official's hat decorated with the Sun & Moon (symbol of eum-yang or yin-yang polarity in Oriental philosophy). A mother-tigress licks her cub, with another behind; the boy holds staff, ginseng, bullocho and flowers (no peaches this time), the girl makes a Buddhist mudra-sign. Hidden behind the statue on the lower-right, another boy pours his master a cup of tea next to the portable stove. Clearly, this great painting was done by the same artist who did the one at Daewon-sa nearby (shown on the previous page) --- and yet, it is different / individual / unique, in the Korean San-shin tradition (which is what makes this subject so fascinating). In another very rare (unique, I think) twist, the San-shin statue is holding a ring-topped staff, characteristic of Jijang-bosal (the popular Boddhisattva who saves suffering souls from Hell) !!! San-shin has frequently been artistically conflated with other 2nd-level Buddhist figures, but never before with Jijang-bosal, as far as I know. |
