Stone Seated Buddha at Yaksaam Hermitage, Gwangju

This Buddha statue dates from the Unified Silla period and remains in good condition. It was carved from rough granite and depicts the Medicine Buddha, who is believed to save all beings suffering from illness. Small snail-shaped curls of hair are attached to the head, and the slightly lowered face is broad at the top and narrow at the bottom. The body as a whole is rendered with dignity, though the shoulder line slopes sharply, giving a somewhat drooping impression. The waist is depicted as slender, making the volume of the chest appear relatively full by comparison. The robe, which bares the right shoulder, is folded once in front of the chest and clings thinly to the body, clearly revealing the contours of the upper torso. The right hand rests on the knee with the fingertips pointing downward, while the left hand is placed against the abdomen. In the lower body, both feet are placed sole-up on the knees in the full lotus position, and the knees appear excessively wide. The pedestal on which the Buddha sits is a typical octagonal lotus-patterned pedestal, its upper, middle and lower tiers each carved from a single stone. The unusually wide knees, the formalised treatment, and the one-to-one height ratio between the pedestal and the statue suggest that this is a late Silla Buddha inheriting the characteristics of the principal Buddha of Seokguram Grotto.

AI Translation

Visiting

Visitor information: Korea Tourism Organization · KOGL Type 1

Where it is

Region

Dong-gu, Jeonnam & Gwangju

Designation

Treasure · 보물