Rock-carved Standing Bhaisajyaguru Buddha Triad in Bangeosan Mountain, Haman

This is a rock-carved standing triad of the Bhaisajyaguru Buddha carved into the cliff face of Bangeosan Mountain, made in 801, the second year of King Aejang of Unified Silla. The main Buddha holds a medicine bowl in its left hand, identifying it as an image of Bhaisajyaguru, the Medicine Buddha, and its face is rendered long and oval. The shoulders are narrow relative to the massive body, and the body, rendered without vigour, conveys no sense of tension. This shows the Buddhist sculptural style shifting from the idealistic realism, full of tension and vitality, of the eighth century towards a more naturalistic appearance. The two attendant bodhisattvas on either side stand naturally, both facing the main Buddha. The one on the left is the Sunlight Bodhisattva, giving a strong, masculine impression, while the one on the right is the Moonlight Bodhisattva, with a crescent-moon pattern carved between its eyebrows. An inscription recording when the triad was made survives, giving a firm date, and the work is a valuable resource for the study of Unified Silla sculptural history.

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Where it is

Region

Haman, Gyeongnam

Designation

Treasure · 보물