Seated Sancheong Yulgoksa Temple Wooden Amitabha Buddha Triad

This is a wooden seated Amitabha Buddha triad at Yulgoksa Temple in Sancheong. The principal image, the Amitabha Buddha, is placed at the centre, with the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara on the left and the bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta on the right. The triad is over a metre tall, roughly the height of a person, seated in a half-cross-legged posture with an upright back and slightly bowed head, giving an overall sense of balance. On the Amitabha image, the boundary of the usnisha is not clearly defined, and both the topknot jewel and the central jewel are rendered, with tightly packed curls of hair. The face is close to square, the jawline is treated relatively roundly, and the features are distinct and harmonious. Below the short neck, three clear folds, samdo, are rendered. The robe is a thick outer garment covering both shoulders, with the horizontal hem of the inner skirt visible below the chest. The folds of the robe are simply rendered, concentrated at the shoulders, sleeves and below the ankles of the crossed legs, and their flow follows the body very naturally. The hands were carved separately and attached; the first and third fingers touch, holding a small bead between them. The right arm is bent with the palm turned outward and raised to shoulder height, while the left hand rests on the right foot. The two bodhisattva images share almost all features with the principal Amitabha image — posture, hand gestures, face and dress. However, neither wears any jewellery, though both wear elaborate crowns. Their faces are rendered in the same manner as the Amitabha image, only slightly longer and more slender than the principal Buddha's. Their dress is generally the same as the principal Buddha's, but the Avalokiteshvara image wears its robe draped halfway over the right shoulder, in the so-called half-bare style, and on the back a fold of the outer garment crossing over from the left shoulder is visible — a feature that differs from both the Amitabha and Mahasthamaprapta images. At over a metre, this is a relatively large seated Amitabha triad with an overall balanced and stable form. The three images share almost identical features, suggesting they were made together at the same time. The relics placed inside the statues have not been made public, but the work is presumed to date from the early Joseon period.

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Where it is

Region

Sancheong, Gyeongnam

Designation

Provincial Tangible Heritage · 시도유형문화유산