This paper focuses upon a Korean print representing a chaplet of prayer beads made in 1857 at the request of an upper-class upāsikā (ch’ŏngshinnyŏ 清信女, a female lay devotee) It intends to add some... Show moreThis paper focuses upon a Korean print representing a chaplet of prayer beads made in 1857 at the request of an upper-class upāsikā (ch’ŏngshinnyŏ 清信女, a female lay devotee) It intends to add some perspective to Buddhist practices of the period and to demonstrate the role material objects might play in the interactions between clergy and lay believers. Prayer beads are particularly suited to this purpose as they are some of the most ubiquitous objects in Buddhist practice and are used daily by both monks and laymen. The temporal focus of this article has been intentionally limited to the nineteenth century as the call for greater nuance in studies of Chosŏn Buddhism characteristic of recent studies has also sensitized us to potential changes over time, making it problematic to generalize findings for the entire period. Show less
