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Three Tangible Cultural Heritages, Including the “Hamgyeong-do Coastal Map,” and One Cultural Heritage Material, “Kitchen Deity Painting from Mahasa Temple,” Designated

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced today (August 6) the designation of four cultural heritage items, including the “Hamgyeong-do coastal map (咸鏡道 海岸地圖),” as Tangible Cultural Heritages and Cultural Heritage Materials of the City.

The City newly designated the four items through deliberation by the City National Heritage Committee (Tangible Heritage Division) as part of its efforts to discover valuable cultural assets.

The newly designated items are as follows:
▸Three City Tangible Cultural Heritages: “Hamgyeong-do coastal map,” “Stone Seated Bodhisattva Statue of Cheongnyeonam Hermitage, Beomeosa Temple,” and “Śūraṅgama Sūtra, Volumes 6–10”
▸One City Cultural Heritage Material: “Kitchen Deity Painting from Mahasa Temple”

The “Hamgyeong-do coastal map (咸鏡道 海岸地圖)” is an accordion-style atlas comprising 35 panels depicting coastal areas from Dancheon to Deokwon, created after the 1870s. This map systematically records the geography of fishing villages in Hamgyeong-do. As it reflects the living conditions and geographical characteristics of coastal villages similar to Busan at that time, it holds significant value as a comparative resource for future research on fishing villages in the Busan region.

The “Stone Seated Bodhisattva Statue of Cheongnyeonam Hermitage, Beomeosa Temple (梵魚寺 靑蓮庵 石造菩薩坐像)” is a late Joseon-era Buddhist statue with distinctive facial features and well-proportioned bodily structure. Based on its facial characteristics, it is believed to be the work of, or in the tradition of, Seungho (勝浩), a sculptor-monk active in the Gyeongsang region in the late 17th century.
Seungho (勝浩): A monk-artist active mainly in the Gyeongsang region in the late 17th century, known for creating numerous stone Buddha statues using “bulseok (拂石),” a soft zeolite-based stone sourced near the East Sea coast of Gyeongju.

This is also the first work associated with Seungho identified at Beomeosa Temple, making it an important reference for studying his activities in the region.

The “Śūraṅgama Sūtra, Volumes 6–10 (大佛頂如來密印修證了義諸菩薩萬行首楞嚴經)” is a Mahāyāna scripture that outlines the path to liberation from worldly afflictions through esoteric and Seon (Zen) teachings. Also known as the “Śūraṅgama Sūtra” or “Suneung-eomgyeong,” the text discusses discernment between truth and illusion, proper conduct, and recitation of the Śūraṅgama Mantra.

The version housed at Sangryun Deokhwasa Temple includes Volumes 6 through 10 of the original 10-volume woodblock-printed edition produced at Cheongryongsa Temple in Anseong, Gyeonggi-do. It is an exceptionally rare surviving edition and is highly valued as a “Seonbon (善本),” or exemplary edition.

The “Kitchen Deity Painting from Mahasa Temple (摩訶寺 竈王圖)” is a depiction of Jowang, a traditional household deity representing the kitchen. In Korean folk beliefs, Jowang was worshipped as a fire deity who safeguarded the kitchen and was prayed to for the well-being and health of the family. As Buddhism adopted this folk belief, paintings of Jowang became widespread from the 19th to early 20th centuries.

This painting was created by Wanho (玩虎, 1869–1931), a representative monk-artist of the Busan and Gyeongnam region during the modern era. The painting is clearly dated to 1920 and offers valuable visual insight into Buddhist Jowang rituals.
Wanho (玩虎, 1869–1931): A leading Buddhist painter of modern Busan and Gyeongnam, who created more than 50 Buddhist paintings over two decades, operated a painting workshop at Bokcheonsa Temple in Busan, and mentored disciples such as Sihan and Deokmun.

Jo Yu-jang, Director of the Culture Bureau of Busan Metropolitan City, stated, “Four new cultural heritage items were designated through the City National Heritage Committee in July, bringing the total number of national heritage items held by the City to 575 as of August 6.” He added, “Busan Metropolitan City will continue to actively discover valuable cultural heritage to enhance citizens’ enjoyment of traditional culture and pass these precious assets on to future generations.”

Further details can be found in Busan Metropolitan City Notification No. 311 (August 6, 2025). As of that date, the City possesses a total of 575 national heritage items, an increase of 10 from the previous year.
State-designated: 93, State-registered: 24, City-designated: 321, Cultural Heritage Materials: 130, City-registered: 7