Bulbokjang
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| free admission |
| Begrenzte Platzkapazität – rechtzeitiges Erscheinen wird empfohlen |
| English, Korean |
| Sound Studio |
| Belongs to: Going Through Hell |
The Bulbokjang Ceremony (literally: ‘Hiding inside the Buddha’) is a centuries-old Korean Buddhist practice in which a sculpture is transformed into a spiritually activated cult image through the ritual insertion of consecrated objects (bokjang) as well as recitations and symbolic gestures. These acts are reserved exclusively for initiated monks and are deeply rooted in the Buddhist ritual tradition of Korea.
At the centre of the Berlin ceremony is the consecration of a replica of a woodenfigure of Buddha Vairocana from the late 9th century. The original is located in the Haeinsa Temple in South Korea, an important centre of Korean Buddhism, UNESCO World Heritage Site and repository of the famous Tripiṭaka Koreana -a complete canon of Buddhist scriptures from the 13th century, carved on over 80,000 wooden tablets and one of the most outstanding achievements in the preservation of knowledge
For the consecration, a ritual space is created in the sound workshop, equipped with altars and banners in the colours of the four cardinal points and the centre. Under the direction of Master Gyeongam, the monks place symbolic objects inside the sculpture and accompany this act with mantras, sūtrarecitations and mysterious gestures.
The Preservation Society of the Traditional Bulbokjang Ceremony (Bulbokjangbeop Bojonhoe) is dedicated to the preservation, transmission and international visualisation of this unique ceremony. The Bulbokjang practice has been officially recognised as Korean Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Republic of Korea.
On the day before, Prof. Dr Jeong Eunwoo, Director of the Busan Museum, Republic of Korea, will introduce the background and symbolism of theritual and offer an opportunity for in-depth discussion.In addition to the event, the current exhibition Going Through Hellin the Museum of Asian Art, 3rd floor, room 319, offers fascinating insights into the Buddhist concept of the afterlife in Korea by means of an outstanding Goryeo period painting from the 14th century. In a concentrated one-object presentation, the masterful depiction of hell is not only illuminated from an art-historical perspective, but also made tangible to the senses through digital animations, a sound installation and an atmospheric staging.
Programme
Wednesday, 21 May 2025, 18:00
(Admission between 17:30 and 18:00)
Lecture: Understanding the Dedication Materials (bokjang) found in Korean Buddhist Images by Prof. Dr Jeong Eunwoo, Director of the Busan Museum, Republic of Korea(Korean with consecutive translation into English, German script available)
Thursday, 22 May 2025, 16:00-18:00
(Admission between 15:30 and 16:00)
Ceremony: Bulbokjang ceremony for the consecration of a Buddhist sculptureperformed by the Preservation Society of the Traditional Bulbokjang Ceremony, represented by seven monks of the Jogye Order under the direction of the Venerable Master Gyeongam