Wooden Avalokitesvara Statue of Gwaneumsa Temple

The seated wooden Avalokitesvara statue in the Beopbojeon Hall of Gwaneumsa Temple is said to have originally stood at Boseoksa Temple in Seokdong-ri, Nam-i-myeon, Geumsan County, South Chungcheong Province, before being moved to its present location. The statue wears an ornate crown decorated with lotus-flower designs and flaming cintamani jewels; its face is full, with soft yet clearly defined features. Although it is a bodhisattva image, it wears the outer robe draped over both shoulders in the manner usually seen on Buddha statues, and the folds of the robe are rendered in straight lines. An elaborate beaded necklace adorns the chest. The knees are high and broad, giving the figure a sense of stability. The right hand is lowered, with the middle finger and thumb touching, while the left hand is raised to chest height, holding a kundika, a ritual water vessel. The statue is 61 cm tall, with a knee width of 38 cm. Its full, rounded face, simple straight-line drapery folds, and high, broad knees combined with a well-balanced waist give the statue stable proportions typical of Buddhist statuary from the late seventeenth to early eighteenth century. Although no votive inscription recording the date of production or the name of the sculptor has been found, the statue faithfully reflects the sculptural style of that period, making it a valuable resource for the study of late-Joseon Buddhist statuary.

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Where it is

Region

Muju, Jeonbuk

Designation

Provincial Tangible Heritage · 시도유형문화유산