Jeollanam-do Tangible Cultural Asset No. 172
Buddhist Bell of Bogwangsa Temple in Hampyeong
Date of cultural asset designation: February 24, 1990
This bell once belonged to Wongapsa Temple in Muan, but as the temple was shut down, it was moved to its current location in 1967 via Yongcheonsa Temple in Hampyeong to avoid confusion during the Korean War. Considering its shape, two dragon statues facing in opposite directions are used to tie the bell with the dragons’ feet and support its weight. Eight Buddhist Sanskrit words are carved inside the dragons’ double-striped upper body. Below the dragons’ upper body, engraved rectangular plates are placed, with nine protruding metal lumps inside each engraved rectangular plate and standing Bodhisattva statues embossed between engraved rectangular plates. Two wide embossed lines are wrapped below the dragons’ body, with writing between the lines, which shows the bell was made in the 43th year of King Yeongjo’s reign in 1767. The bell was simply made by omitting an organ pipe that helps sound an echo at the head of the bell, the part used to strike the bell, and striped patterns of the lower part of the bell. Considering the trend that Buddhists bells in the 18th century were not over one meter in height, this bell is considered relatively large.