Stone Standing Maitreya Bodhisattva of Gamsansa Temple, Gyeongju

Gamsansa Temple in Gyeongju was founded in 719, under King Seongdeok, by Kim Ji-seong, to pray for the repose of his parents and for the well-being of the king and the royal house. In the year of its founding he is said to have made a Maitreya for his mother and an Amitabha for his father. Both, now national treasures, are held at the National Museum of Korea. The Maitreya wears an ornately decorated crown, and its full cheeks give it a round, benign face. Two rich necklaces are carved at the neck, and a string of jewels falls from it all the way to the legs. The garment over the left shoulder passes under the right armpit, winds round the right arm and falls. The skirt, tied at the waist with a thick sash, runs down to the ankles in soft curves. The mandorla, standing for the light from the body, is boat-shaped and carved with flame, three raised lines dividing halo from body aureole. The pedestal is cut from a single stone: octagonal at the bottom, with inverted and open lotus above it, simply and boldly carved. An inscription on the back of the mandorla records that the image was carved in 719, which tells us both when and why it was made. Though stone, it renders a full body with real assurance, and it shows well the international style that came into fashion in the Unified Silla period.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Yongsan-gu, Seoul

Designation

National Treasure · 국보