Rethinking Sacred Space: Spatial Narratives in the Buddhist Architecture of Eighteenth-Century Korea

Using a dataset of more than 200 Korean Buddhist temple halls a a case study, this lecture examines how Buddhist temples, while primarily dedicated to the worship of the Buddha, often house a wealth of visual and textual references that extend beyond core Buddhist doctrine. Often overlooked spaces within the architecture feature depictions from popular literature such as the Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Journey to the West, as well as Daoist mythology. Drawing on an interdisciplinary approach that integrates art history, Buddhist Studies, cultural geography, and literature studies, this lecture thus highlights the complex interplay between religious beliefs, popular culture, and social dynamics in pre-modern Korea.

With Maya STILLER, Associate Professor of Korean art history & visual culture, University of Kansas.