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Four Guardian Kings (1)

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The Four Heavenly Kings are four Buddhist gods, each of whom is believed to watch over one cardinal direction of the world. In Chinese mythology, they are known collectively as the "Fēng Tiáo Yǔ Shùn" (simplified Chinese: 风调雨顺; traditional Chinese: 風調雨順; lit. 'Good climate') or "Sìdà Tiānwáng" (Chinese: 四大天王; lit. 'Four Great Heavenly Kings'). In the ancient language Sanskrit, they are called the "Chaturmahārāja" (चतुर्महाराज) or "Chaturmahārājikādeva": "Four Great Heavenly Kings". The Hall of Four Heavenly Kings is a standard component of Chinese Buddhist temples.

Four Heavenly Kings - Wikipedia

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Sacheonwangmun, meaning 'Gate of the Four Guardian Kings,' is traditionally the gate on the path leading into the worship area of a Buddhist temple. It is believed that the Four Guardian Kings, whose statues or depictions are commonly enshrined inside the gate, repulse evil spirits as visitors enter the temple. The Four Guardian Kings were originally deities from ancient India, but after the appearance of Buddhism, they took on the role of protecting the Buddha and his teachings while standing on Mount Meru and watching over the four cardinal points. They also have the duty to observe whether people are following Buddha's teaching and to guide them on the right path. The king of the east is Dhrtarastra, who is considered the patron of music, is depicted holding a Korean lute (bipa), and is said to protect the country and give comfort to people. The king of the south is Virudhaka, who is considered the ruler of the wind, is depicted holding a long sword, and is said to revive and increase virtues in people. The king of the west is Virupaksa, who is considered to be all-seeing, is depicted holding a dragon and a wish-fulfilling jewel, and is portrayed with his mouth wide open as he fights back the evil spirits. The king of the north is Vaisravana, who is considered the ruler of the rain, is depicted holding a pagoda and a spear, and is said to protect the temple and heed all of the Buddha's teachings. The statues of the Four Guardian Kings enshrined in the gate are said to have been made near the end of the Joseon period (Joseon dynasty 1392-1910). Many of the buildings in Naksansa Temple were destroyed either during the Korean War (1950-1953) or during the forest fire of 2005. Luckily, two large cherry trees stopped the fire from spreading further and saved the gate. In 2010, the gate and the statues underwent a renovation.

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