6th century Buddhist statue unearthed
A gilt-bronze Buddhist triad, believed to have been made in the 6th century, has been excavated from the ruins of a temple in northeastern South Korea, the cultural heritage authorities said Monday.
The Cultural Heritage Administration said researchers have unearthed the 8.7 centimeter Standing Buddha Triad from the ruins of Jinjeon Temple in the town of Yangyang on South Korea’s northeastern coast.
The statue is evaluated to be a national treasure from the Three Kingdoms (57 B.C.-A.D. 668), as it is preserved relatively well, save for slight damage to the upper corner of the mandorla, or halo of light, and the lotus pedestal.
Featuring Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva accompanied by two other bodhisattvas, the Buddhist triad is a rare Buddhist statue from the Three Kingdoms era.
In the statue, light from Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva’s head and body is expressed in relief with a nirmana buddha, or Buddha of transformation, depicted on top of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva’s crown.
The statue also shows Avalokitesvara with raised hands and fingers spread out at chest level.
An official at the administration said, “(With its) pedestal, hem and the nirmana buddha, this Buddhist statue bears a resemblance to the Standing Buddhist Triad, National Treasure No. 134, which is housed at the Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art in Seoul.”