San-shin (mountain spirit)

San-shin (mountain spirit) , 1800s, Joseon dynasty (1392–1910)

Where object was made: Korea

Material/technique: silk; ink; mineral color

Dimensions:
Frame Dimensions (Height x Width x Depth): 49 1/4 x 34 x 1 1/2 in
Weight (Weight): 22 lbs

Credit line: Museum purchase: R. Charles and Mary Margaret Clevenger Art Acquisition Fund

Accession number: 2014.0052

Not on display

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Shattering the Void: Realms of Meaning in East Asian Art

San-shin, or mountain spirit, is a Korean deity who represents fertility and abundance. In Korea, where approximately 70 percent of the geography is mountainous, the tiger is the king of the mountain animals and is a constant companion of San-shin. A young boy in the background carries a tray of ripe peaches, a symbol of longevity in East Asian cultures. According to legend, the mountain spirit is the aged Dangun, the legendary founder and god-king of the first Korean kingdom known as Gojoseon.

The Power and Pleasure of Possessions in Korean Painted Screens

This painting depicts the Korean san-shin or “mountain spirit” seated beneath a pine tree and coaxed by a tiger. According to Korean mythology, the ancestor of the Korean people was a great hero named Dangun, who after his death is believed to have become the mountain spirit. Because the san-shin is popular
for its ability to bestow children and has been widely venerated throughout Korean history, most Buddhist temples in Korea have an adjacent sanshin-gak or “Shrine to the Mountain Spirit.”