Rock-carved Seated Buddha at Bungmireugam Hermitage of Daeheungsa Temple, Haenam

Carved in high relief on the rock face, this seated Buddha at Bungmireugam of Daeheungsa makes the gesture of subduing demons and is accompanied by offering celestials, an unusual iconography. Large and carved with volume and fluency, it is regarded as a very rare and outstanding example among Korea's rock-carved Buddhas. The head with its clear topknot looks at first plain, but traces of snail-shell curls remain; the face, with neat features, is plump, round and broad, and serene. But the eyes lift slightly at the corners and the mouth is firmly closed, giving a stern impression. The large ears hang long to the shoulders, and two lines on the unusually thick, short neck mark the three folds. The hands make the gesture of subduing demons, and the legs are crossed in the auspicious posture with the right foot on the left knee; the fingers and toes are rendered slender, fine and even, realistic and delicate. The robe covers both shoulders, its folds incised at almost even intervals, less realistic; the hem falling between the knees hangs like a winnowing basket, strongly schematic. This shows well the transition from late Unified Silla to Goryeo. The pedestal is a lotus throne of eleven upturned and twelve downturned petals meeting, carved thickly, so that with the fleshy body it looks very massive; unusually, its seed-pod rises high. Halo and body aureole are triple circles of three lines, unadorned except for flame at the top of the border, and outside them four celestials are placed symmetrically above and below. Unlike the heavy, somewhat stiff Buddha, the four celestials — recalling the bodhisattvas in the niches of Seokguram in Gyeongju — are nimble, soft and refined. Their carving is almost the only example of its time and is regarded as a fine work of excellent form.

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Information

• 1330 Travel Hotline: +82-2-1330 (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese) • For more info: +82-61-534-5502

Visitor information: Korea Tourism Organization · KOGL Type 1

Where it is

Region

Haenam, Jeonnam & Gwangju

Designation

National Treasure · 국보