Stone Standing Bodhisattva in Sangnim-ri, Geochang

This colossal bodhisattva statue, carved from granite and standing 3.5 m tall overall, stands on an octagonal pedestal carved with lotus flowers. Given that a temple called Geonheungsa Temple is said to have stood nearby, the statue is presumed to have been enshrined there. Atop the head rises a topknot-shaped bogye, a bound tuft of hair, while the crown (bogwan) has been lost. The face, with its reduced sense of volume, has small, narrow eyes and a closed mouth, giving it a somewhat solemn expression. The shoulders are angular and the body rectangular, appearing to lack the flexibility typical of bodhisattva images. The necklace adorning the chest and the celestial scarf (cheonui) draped over both shoulders are rendered in a highly formalised manner. A thick belt encircles the waist, below which U-shaped drapery folds cross alternately over both legs. The right hand, held close to the body, holds a water bottle, while the left hand is raised to the chest, holding a lotus blossom. This iconography suggests that the statue depicts Gwaneum, the Bodhisattva of Compassion (Avalokiteshvara), whose image was popular during the Goryeo period. The diminished smile, awkward body and symmetrical, formalised drapery folds all point to this being a bodhisattva statue made during the Goryeo period.

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Where it is

Region

Geochang, Gyeongnam

Designation

Treasure · 보물