Rock-carved Standing Buddha at Yeongworam Hermitage, Icheon

This rock-carved Buddha was made by shaping a natural rock face 7 to 8 metres high and carving the figure to fill the entire surface, giving it a grand and powerful overall impression; it is thought to date from the early Goryeo period. The head and hands are rendered in shallow relief, while the folds of the robe are carved as incised lines. The full, round face has large, clearly defined features — gently closed-looking eyes, a thick nose and full lips — conveying the vigorous yet benevolent air of an eminent monk. The hands are joined at the chest with thumbs and ring fingers touching, palms turned outward, in a gesture of preaching the Buddhist law. The robe draped over the left shoulder flows in soft diagonal lines and ends in a zigzag pattern. The folds are carved simply, and the face conveys a quiet, dignified virtue fitting for a monk. The figure is thought to have been made to honour the founding monk of Yeongworam Hermitage, or an arhat or eminent monk closely connected with the temple, and it holds particular importance as a rare surviving example of a Goryeo-period rock-carved portrait of a Buddhist monk.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Icheon, Gyeonggi

Designation

Treasure · 보물