Returned After Long Legal Battle... Goryeo Buddhist Statue to Be Displayed in Japan Next Month

Kyushu National Museum to Hold "Kyushu Daraebul" Special Exhibition
Gilt-bronze Seated Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva from Late Goryeo Period

The Gilt-bronze Seated Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva from the Goryeo Dynasty, which was smuggled into Korea and returned to Japan last year after a prolonged ownership dispute, will be displayed in Japan next month.

According to Yonhap News Agency on June 21, the Kyushu National Museum announced on its website that it will hold a special exhibition titled "Kyushu Daraebul" (Daraebul refers to Buddhist statues that crossed the sea from the Korean Peninsula and elsewhere to Japan in the past) from July 7 to August 30, where the Goryeo-era statue will be on display.

Exhibition poster for 'Kyushu Doraebul' organized by Kyushu National Museum. Screenshot from Kyushu National Museum website, Photo by Yonhap News.

This statue is believed to have been created in the early 14th century during the late Goryeo period, depicting Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, one of the Buddhist bodhisattvas who bestow compassion on all sentient beings, in a seated meditation pose. The artistic value of the statue is considered among the highest for late Goryeo bodhisattva statues.

This statue has endured many hardships, including theft and legal battles. Previously, a group of Korean thieves stole the statue from Tsushima Island and smuggled it into Korea in 2012. The group smuggled two statues, one of which, the "Bronze Standing Buddha," was returned to Kaijin Shrine in July 2015 since there was no claimant of ownership in Korea at the time of the theft. However, the Gilt-bronze Seated Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva was held in Korea, as Buseoksa Temple in Seosan, Chungcheongnam-do, claimed original ownership based on the ritual items found inside the statue. Buseoksa Temple argued that the statue was likely looted by Japanese pirates. On the other hand, Kannonji Temple in Japan demanded its prompt return, stating that it was clearly stolen from them.

Ultimately, Buseoksa and Kannonji engaged in a lengthy legal battle. The first trial ruled in favor of Buseoksa, but the appeals court overturned this, determining that the statue belonged to Kannonji. In October 2023, the Supreme Court of Korea also ruled that ownership was transferred to Kannonji under the legal principle of "acquisitive prescription," which recognizes ownership after a certain period of undisputed possession. Afterward, Buseoksa held a 100-day Buddhist ritual before sending the statue back to Tsushima, and the statue was returned to Japan in May 2023.

The Kyushu National Museum describes the statue as "a seated Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva from Kannonji Temple in Tsushima City, produced on the Korean Peninsula in 1330 during the Goryeo Dynasty," adding that "it was returned in 2025." The museum also states, "Welcome, Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva," emphasizing that the statue "symbolizes the spirit of prayer connecting Korea and Japan." Furthermore, the museum explains, "Buddhism was introduced from Baekje to Japan about 1,500 years ago. Since then, brilliantly colored and radiant Buddhist statues and paintings that crossed the sea have been revered and cherished in Japan, preserved as precious treasures without distinction from those deities or Buddhas created in Japan."

The upcoming exhibition will feature a total of 40 pieces, including the Gilt-bronze Seated Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva and other Buddhist statues that were brought from the Korean Peninsula and elsewhere.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.