Rock-carved Standing Buddha of Deokjusa Temple, Jecheon

This is a Buddha image carved into the eastern rock face of Deokjusa Temple on Woraksan Mountain, a temple said to have been founded by Princess Deokju, sister of Crown Prince Maui. Carved into the southern face of a massive granite cliff, the Buddha stands 13 metres tall in all; the face is carved in high relief so that it stands out prominently, while the body is rendered only in incised lines. Above the bald head rises a large, semicircular usnisa, and the plump face has emphasised eyes, nose and chin. Such exaggerated depiction of the face is a technique commonly seen in the massive Buddha images of the Goryeo period. The three curved lines that should appear on the neck are instead carved as lines above the chest. The plump body, rendered only in outline, disregards the sculptural proportions of the human form. The robe draped over both shoulders hangs down limply, without vigour, and the drapery folds, also rendered only in line, likewise lack any sense of life. The right hand is raised to chest height with the thumb and middle finger touching, while the left hand shows the back of the hand. The feet, splayed to left and right, are excessively large, with thick, elongated toes, and lotus petals are carved beneath both feet to form a pedestal. Made in keeping with the early Goryeo trend for creating massive Buddha images, it is characterised by its plump face, a sculptural technique that grows increasingly simplified toward the lower body, and an almost entirely flat, two-dimensional body with little sense of volume.

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Where it is

Region

Jecheon, Chungbuk

Designation

Treasure · 보물