Iron Seated Buddha at Baegunam Hermitage, Chungju

Baegunam Hermitage, in Chungju, is said to have been founded in 1886 by a shaman who had received the title Jillyeonggun. The iron Buddha enshrined here as the principal image was not originally made for this hermitage; since the large Goryeo-period temple site of Eokjeongsa lies nearby, it is presumed to have been brought here from there. Chungju was a region that produced iron, and besides the Iron Seated Buddha of Baegunam Hermitage, the Iron Seated Buddha of Daewonsa Temple, a treasure, and the Iron Seated Buddha of Danhosa Temple, also a treasure, survive there too, so these three iron Buddhas are known together as the three great iron Buddhas of the Chungju region. The Iron Seated Buddha of Baegunam Hermitage is seated with the robe drawn back to bare the right shoulder and the hand in the earth-touching gesture that symbolises the Buddha's victory over the demon Mara, a style that became popular following the principal Buddha of Seokguram Grotto in the eighth century of Unified Silla. It is not large, standing about 87 cm in height. The face is somewhat small in relation to the body, but the features are clearly rendered, expressing a dignified, solemn look. Three curved lines, a conventional feature of Buddhist sculpture, mark the neck; the shoulders are broad and the chest raised, and the legs, seated in the full lotus posture, are set wide apart, giving the figure an imposing bearing. The body as a whole is carved with a sense of volume, and in places along the outer robe folds of the wave-like drapery style can be seen, showing that the statue reflects the eighth-century Unified Silla style. However, its volume is not as full as that of eighth-century statues, and the hand gesture of the earth-touching mudra is not in the fully typical form, suggesting a date somewhat later than the eighth century. The date of production is therefore presumed to lie around the end of Unified Silla to the early Goryeo period. This Iron Seated Buddha retains comparatively many features of the Unified Silla sculptural style, and among the iron Buddhas of the Chungju region it is presumed to be the earliest in date. Its features are also serene and well proportioned, with no major damage overall, and its carving is of good quality, making it a very important statue for the study of iron Buddha sculpture from the Unified Silla period onward.

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Where it is

Region

Chungju, Chungbuk

Designation

Treasure · 보물