Gilt-bronze Seated Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva at Dosoram Hermitage of Seonunsa Temple, Gochang

The Gilt-bronze Seated Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva of Dosoram Hermitage, Seonunsa Temple, Gochang, is a bronze Buddhist image with a gilded surface, enshrined at Dosoram Hermitage of Seonunsa Temple. It wears a hood on its head, a style seen in paintings of Ksitigarbha, the bodhisattva who vows to save beings suffering in hell, from the late Goryeo period. This bodhisattva resembles the Gilt-bronze Seated Bodhisattva of Seonunsa Temple (Treasure) in its hooded head, necklace ornament and restrained modelling of the chest, but differs in technique: the band around its forehead is narrower and does not cover the ears, and the facial features are treated differently. Unlike most other Buddhist images, Ksitigarbha is generally shown wearing a hood on the head. The round face gives an elegant, composed impression, and the line running from the neck down to the shoulders is soft. Both the upper and lower body are well balanced, and details such as the tied sash and the drawn-in belly are rendered realistically. The thick robe wrapping both shoulders is tied in a knot at the abdomen, and the legs show a few simply carved folds. The seated posture, with the right foot resting on the left knee, renders the foot in a lifelike manner. The right hand is raised to the chest with the thumb and middle finger touching, while the left hand rests on the abdomen holding a small wheel-shaped object. Faithfully reflecting the Buddhist sculptural style of the late Goryeo period, this bodhisattva is an elegant and refined work, ranking among the finest of its time.

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Where it is

Region

Gochang, Jeonbuk

Designation

Treasure · 보물