Whether they be mighty wooden statues or paintings housed in gates, or simply two figures painted on doors, the first personalities to be encountered at a Korean temple are generally the Four Guardians.
If the temple one is visiting is not particularly grandiose, it is usually the two gate gods one must pass in order to enter the temple grounds. These deities prevent evil spirits from entering the temple precincts. In China they are called Heng and Ha. They boast the power to send forth deadly Buddhas & Bodhisattvas

Sanskrit	Korean	English
Sakyamuni	Sokamoni-bul	Historical Buddha
Amitabha	Amita-bul	Buddha of Infinite Light
Vairocana	Pirojana-bul	Buddha of Cosmic Energy
Bhaisagya-guru	Yaksayore-bul	Medicine Buddha
Avalokitesvara	Kwanseum Posal	Compassion Bodhisattva
Ksitigarbha	Chijang Posal	Bodhisattva of Suffering
Mahastmaprapta	Taesaeji Posal	Bodhisattva of Wisdom of Amitabha
Manjusri	Moonsoo Posal	Bodhisattva of Wisdom
Samantabhadra	Pohyon Posal	Bodhisattva of Power
	Tongjin Posal (with wings on hat)	Protector of the Buddha's Teaching

rays of light, one from his nostrils giving forth the sound "heng," the other from his mouth with the sound "ha." The mouth is the door of the face, and, symbolically, Ha's open mouth indicates that the temple is protected whether the doors are opened or closed. The two gods protect on another level as well, that of wisdom over ignorance.

In the larger Korean temples, one is likely to find, in addition to the two gate gods painted on the doors, the Four Guardians housed in their own gate structure. In statue or painted form, these figures are imposing, often as much as five meters tall.

These protectors are of Hindu origin, and are said to have helped Siddhartha Gautama, the Indian prince who became the Buddha, to leave his father's house on the night of his renunciation by each taking hold of one hoof of Siddhartha's horse and lifting him over the palace walls. In another legend, Siddhartha (now the Buddha Sakyamuni, the Silent One of the Sakya Clan) was setting out on his alms round. The guardians all rushed to present him with bowls made of precious stones. The Buddha refused them. The guardians then offered him bowls of ordinary stone. Accepting them as more suitable to his position, Sakyamuni piled the four one atop another, and miraculously, they became one vessel. The guardians served Siddhartha throughout his earthly life.

The Four Guardians all bear a fierce countenance and trample the opponents of Buddhism under their feet. Each of them represents one of the cardinal directions.
The guardian of the North, Tamun Chon-wang, holds a pagoda, or tower. The tower repre-sents a reliquary stupa, symbolizing death. The stupa consists of three basic parts: the base, which represents the earth, the dome, which represents heaven, and a connecting piece, or cosmic axis.
Chonjang Chonwang is the guardian of the southern quarter. One may identify him by the sword he bears, usually poised for action. He is reputed to have the power to multiply his sword so that he can always outnumber his opponents.
Chigook Chonwang guards the East. He is easily spotted by the lute he holds, the strings of which control wind, thunder, hail and other weather phenomena.

The guardian of the West, Kwangmok Chon-wang, holds a dragon in one hand and a jewel in the other. The original meaning of these symbols seems to be lost in time.
The Four Guardians should be looked for in the corners of temple murals where variations may be observed between Koryo and Choson style painting, for even within the history of Korean Buddhism the objects which the guardians hold have changed. (Which guardian governs which quarter of the world is often disputed.)
Regardless of iconographic variations, one may identify the guardians by their ever-present battle dress and imposing facial expres-sions. Their variety in appearance only serves to provoke thought and make us more aware of their function. They forever remain routers of evil demons and protectors of Buddhism and the Buddha's teachings.