What's the name of the Guardian King of the West? And who and what is he exactly?

서쪽 광목천왕/廣目天王/Virūpākṣa is the Guardian King of the West. He represents the cardinal direction of the west in Buddhist cosmology.

why do they produce art to the Buddhist ?

All religions, even those opposed to pictorial arts, develop artistic motifs. Islam opposes images, so has beautiful calligraphy and architecture. Buddhist arts are varied and brautiful, too.

Just to clarify, in the opening of the eyes ceremony, they don't actually paint the eyes, right? They symbolically do it?

That seems to be the case. It looks like the eyes are painted on, and that the ceremony is an unveiling and a symbolic affirmation of the image's spiritual power. From what I can tell in the video.

I recently went to Korea in January and I found some amazing pictures in the art museum in Seoul (the capital of South Korea.) I saw lots of pictures of Buddha. Why do they just put Buddhist pictures on the Korean art museum?

The don't only put only those... please, Buddhidm is a part of Korean culture. If you think Christianity rules all, please... we don't want you preaching here, and by we, Koreans...

Does anyone know by chance what language the Buddhist monk artists are speaking ?

She's Korean because she lives in Korea. I LOVE KOREAN! It's so easy to learn! I'm Korean!

How is she painting the eyes from a far distance? I don't get this.

The video clearly said that he was "symbolically" painting the eyes. I agree with Sidwozz Dupeti that it was a devotional act.

Main content

Course: Art of Asia > Unit 3

Lesson 1: A beginner's guide to Korean art

Guardian King of the West

Name: Guardian King of the West
Uploaded: 2014-03-04T13:10:41Z
Description: In this video, Buddhist monk artists, Seol-min (formerly known as Jae-u) and Myung Chun discuss Korean Buddhist art and paint the Guardian King of the West, which is now in the Asian Art Museum's collection. This video also includes footage from a symbolic eye-opening ceremony, which took place at the museum on December 20, 2003. Learn more about Korean Buddhism.

Google Classroom

In this video, Buddhist monk artists, Seol-min (formerly known as Jae-u) and Myung Chun discuss Korean Buddhist art and paint the Guardian King of the West, which is now in the Asian Art Museum's collection. This video also includes footage from a symbolic eye-opening ceremony, which took place at the museum on December 20, 2003. Learn more about Korean Buddhism. . Created by Asian Art Museum.

Want to join the conversation?

Sort by:

Petrie (Peter S. Asiain III)
Posted 10 years ago. Direct link to Petrie (Peter S. Asiain III)'s post “What's the name of the Gu...”
What's the name of the Guardian King of the West? And who and what is he exactly?
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(4 votes)
Answer
- Vatreni
  Posted 10 years ago. Direct link to Vatreni's post “서쪽 광목천왕/廣目天王/Virūpākṣa is...”
  서쪽 광목천왕/廣目天王/Virūpākṣa is the Guardian King of the West. He represents the cardinal direction of the west in Buddhist cosmology.
  Button navigates to signup page
  (8 votes)
Hannah Yoon
Posted 9 years ago. Direct link to Hannah Yoon's post “I recently went to Korea ...”
I recently went to Korea in January and I found some amazing pictures in the art museum in Seoul (the capital of South Korea.) I saw lots of pictures of Buddha. Why do they just put Buddhist pictures on the Korean art museum?
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(1 vote)
Answer
- Vatreni
  Posted 9 years ago. Direct link to Vatreni's post “The don't only put only t...”
  The don't only put only those... please, Buddhidm is a part of Korean culture. If you think Christianity rules all, please... we don't want you preaching here, and by we, Koreans...
  Button navigates to signup page
  (6 votes)
romyvcastaneda
Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to romyvcastaneda's post “What would happen if they...”
What would happen if they messed up the painting? What is they made a mistake? What would then happen?
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(2 votes)
Answer
wendy
Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to wendy's post “why do they produce art t...”
why do they produce art to the Buddhist ?
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(2 votes)
Answer
- David Alexander
  Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to David Alexander's post “All religions, even those...”
  All religions, even those opposed to pictorial arts, develop artistic motifs. Islam opposes images, so has beautiful calligraphy and architecture. Buddhist arts are varied and brautiful, too.
  Button navigates to signup page
  (2 votes)
Jung-ah Lee
Posted 9 years ago. Direct link to Jung-ah Lee's post “Just to clarify, in the o...”
Just to clarify, in the opening of the eyes ceremony, they don't actually paint the eyes, right? They symbolically do it?
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(2 votes)
Answer
- Jake Suzuki
  Posted 9 years ago. Direct link to Jake Suzuki's post “That seems to be the case...”
  That seems to be the case. It looks like the eyes are painted on, and that the ceremony is an unveiling and a symbolic affirmation of the image's spiritual power. From what I can tell in the video.
  Comment on Jake Suzuki's post “That seems to be the case...”
  (2 votes)
Bilal
Posted 10 years ago. Direct link to Bilal's post “Does anyone know by chanc...”
Does anyone know by chance what language the Buddhist monk artists are speaking ?
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(1 vote)
Answer
- 장한울
  Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to 장한울's post “She's Korean because she ...”
  She's Korean because she lives in Korea.
  I LOVE KOREAN!
  It's so easy to learn!
  I'm Korean!
  Comment on 장한울's post “She's Korean because she ...”
  (2 votes)
indisarvan
Posted 10 years ago. Direct link to indisarvan's post “it is very interesting to...”
it is very interesting to know Korean art and history of cheongia.. but You refereed "sanskrit" words while describing the painting. What kind relation existed between sanskrit and korean language in Buddhism.
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(1 vote)
Answer
- Vatreni
  Posted 10 years ago. Direct link to Vatreni's post “New terms, borrowed terms...”
  New terms, borrowed terms, but mostly from Sanskris to Chinese translations.
  Button navigates to signup page
  (1 vote)
Marla Robb
Posted 7 years ago. Direct link to Marla Robb's post “What is the glue made of?...”
What is the glue made of? How is it prepared? Is her recipe proprietary and unique, or traditional?
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(1 vote)
Answer
장한울
Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to 장한울's post “How is she painting the e...”
How is she painting the eyes from a far distance?
I don't get this.
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(0 votes)
Answer
- David Alexander
  Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to David Alexander's post “The video clearly said th...”
  The video clearly said that he was "symbolically" painting the eyes. I agree with Sidwozz Dupeti that it was a devotional act.
  Comment on David Alexander's post “The video clearly said th...”
  (2 votes)

Video transcript

solman sunam is a female monk artist who has dedicated her life to keeping the tradition of Buddhist painting alive Don creamy Ronon Kenya o que é tomorrow Chris hace que eres is ergo draco tentativa now on on more Taryn moco mexico grande pero que sea ranch nao pyrrhotite on yahoo cheeky of she religious who attend a bday tomorrow so muchas de que laga ker ke kerias josiah taken manga grunting gasps oh hey gotcha Kyoko Yasuda creating Buddhist images is a religious practice the artist follows certain rules of iconography and uses traditional materials and techniques tomorrow no-go zone oh hey job Pepe Rihanna page aqua tawny kitaen hexamer tell Hannah tamiya terranan modern chessani's on commercial samira willkommen Subterra gannon a Leo grey Torres attention Curren yum noodle soup or cha cha tienen milk Aruna chops are a handsome guild own sake mera Vuelta car as you go body go crazy sake go on Jenny Colgan interchange agita pune gotten de culo rose-hulman Mirabella eminen creaky harmony korine eoran xi'an university chicago yo chiquita Munna car camera