Panjeon, The Hanging Board of Bongeunsa Temple.

Bongeunsa Temple is well-known as a place where Calligrapher Chusa Kim Jung-hee (1786~1856) from the Joseon Dynasty period spent his last days. This hanging board was written by Calligrapher Chusa three days before he passed away in 1856.

There are also several fine cultural articles stored at Bongeunsa Temple. Among them, the most famous one is the hanging board ‘Panjeon(板殿)’ written by Calligrapher Chusa. He was able to develop his own writing style ‘Chusache’ while staying in Gwacheon, a nearby city, until his last days. This was after he was freed from political exile in Bukcheong, Hamgyeong-do Province in 1852. While in Gwacheon, he often visited Bongeunsa Temple. With his aged body, it must not have been easy to travel to Bongeunsa Temple to attend ceremonies. Sometimes, it is said that he stopped by Sudosan Mountain and hiked up to the peak to look at the Hangang River. The writing style on the hanging board was created at this time.

Next to the Panjeon, there is the writer’s seal, which says, “A 70-year-old man of Gwacheon wrote this on his sick bed.” This has become the masterpiece of all his work, done just three days before his death. Written with a short brush, in a way that looked more like he was writing his last will and testament, there is no worldly technique or forcefulness in his writing. The calligraphy on Panjeon is said to resemble the style of a letter Chusa sent to his father when he was seven years old. It perfectly embodies the concept of "Daegyo yakjol" (大巧若卒), meaning "the greatest skill appears clumsy," showcasing the pinnacle of artistic mastery.

In addition to Chusa's calligraphy, Panjeon, the Hall of the Tripitaka Woodblocks houses important Buddhist scriptures. This place looks like a museum, holding various tangible cultural articles such as the Seated Sakyamuni Buddha from the Daeungjeon Hall, the Four Guardian Kings from the Cheonwangmun Gate, memorial tablets, dharma bells, as well as cultural artifacts like paintings of Sansin, the Spirit of the Mountain, and Dokseong, one of the Sixteen Arhats.

Why not spend a day and explore these masterpieces here in Bongeunsa Temple?