Wonju Pyeongjang-ri Rock-carved Gongyang Bodhisattva Statue

Carved in shallow line on a large rock face at Tapgogae Pass in Pyeongjang-ri, Sochon-myeon, Wonju, Gangwon State, this bodhisattva figure has had its face, upper body and wrists damaged by bullet marks, but is otherwise in fairly good condition. It is carved in profile, seated turned about 45 degrees to the right from the front. The proportions of the body are fairly well balanced, and the figure is rather plump. The face is relatively full and gentle, and the hair falling behind the neck nearly reaches the shoulders. The garment on the upper body flows from the left shoulder to the right waist in three or four lines, and the lower garment too is rendered simply with only a few lines. Both hands are raised to shoulder height, offering what appears to be a flower; the fingers are carved in fine, long, graceful lines, and bracelets are shown on both wrists. The seated posture, with the right knee kneeling to the ground and the left leg raised, is one commonly taken by offering figures. The gesture of raising both hands to make an offering and the jewelled crown worn on the head match the form of other bodhisattva statues in this region, such as the Wonju Maeji-ri Stone Standing Bodhisattva and the stone standing bodhisattva of Sinseonam Hermitage, suggesting that a distinctive school of bodhisattva sculpture may have formed in this area during the Goryeo period. This statue is a Goryeo-period work that is simple yet displays graceful linework, and it is a rare example of an offering bodhisattva carved on its own.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Wonju, Gangwon

Designation

Provincial Tangible Heritage · 시도유형문화유산