Maitreya Stone Buddha in Wondeok-ri, Jangseong

This pillar-shaped stone Buddha was carved from the chest downward as a single stone, with a separate stone placed on top for the chest, head and features; the face, hands and drapery folds are rendered simply. The head wears a broad, octagonal crown, and the large square face — with its big eyes, blunt nose and thick lips — carries not the compassionate expression of a Buddha but the folk-like look of a guardian deity such as a stone jangseung, a village guardian post. The flat, three-dimensionless body holds its left hand to the chest and lowers its right hand, giving it a stiff, almost frozen posture. The robe draped over both shoulders shows folds only on the front, carved in repeated raised lines below the chest. Rather than a dignified, awe-inspiring impression, the work conveys a rustic, endearing charm, and is thought to date from the late Goryeo or early Joseon period.

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Where it is

Region

Jangseong, Jeonnam & Gwangju

Designation

Provincial Tangible Heritage · 시도유형문화유산