Late 19th - early 20th century

Seven Star Buddha and Attendants

The central figure in this painting is the Buddha of Flaming Abundant Brightness, Ch’isònggwang yòrae. He is surrounded by seven Buddhas who are the cosmic representation of the seven stars of the Big Dipper, Ch’ilsòng yòrae. On each side of him are the Sun and Moon bodhisattvas, identifiable by the discs enclosed in their elaborate headdresses: red denoting the sun and white the moon. In the lower section of the painting, the seven figures dressed in formal garb and headdress are the Celestial Officials, each also representing a star of the Big Dipper.