Munsusa Temple Stone Seung Statue

This stone statue is currently enshrined in the Munsujeon Hall of Munsusa Temple, and is also known as a statue of Munsu Bodhisattva (Manjusri). It measures about 167 cm in height, with a head height of 53 cm, a head width of 27 cm, and a body width of 55 cm. According to the Munsusa Temple Chronicle (Munsusa-sajeokgi), the Silla monk Jajang Yulsa travelled to Tang China, where he prayed repeatedly on Cheongnyangsan Mountain until he grasped the precepts of Munsu Bodhisattva. On his way back he happened to pass through this area and found its mountain scenery similar to that of Cheongnyangsan Mountain in Tang China, so he entered a cave and prayed for seven days; Munsu Bodhisattva then appeared, and he established here a sacred place of practice dedicated to the bodhisattva. The statue stands on a stone pedestal, but the portion below the knees has been cut off. The face is a long oval, with a monk's head and large ears, a prominent nose, thick lips and a plump chin that together suggest the image of a benevolent monk. The ears are very large in proportion to the face, and with the chin thrust forward and the shoulders raised, the figure appears almost hunchbacked. The body is carved from cylindrical stone, with the folds of the robe and the hands shown on the front, while the back shows only simple drapery. The hands are brought together at the abdomen, the right hand below and the left hand placed on top. The figure wears a long monk's robe closed in a V-shape with the left flap folded over the right; parallel folds run across both arms, and U-shaped folds fall below the abdomen. The portion below the knees cannot currently be seen because of a table placed in front of the statue, but it appears to have been cut off. Judging from the form of the robe and the shape of the head, this appears to be a statue of a monk. The long outstretched neck, with the head seeming to sink into the shoulders, together with the simplified treatment of the body, suggest that it was made during the Joseon period. As a rare surviving stone statue of a monk, it is valued as important material for the study of monk statues in this region.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Gochang, Jeonbuk

Designation

Cultural Heritage Material · 문화유산자료