Stone Seated Bodhisattva of Woljeongsa Temple, Pyeongchang

Basic information

Designation

National Treasure No.48-2

Category

Sculpture

Era

고려 전기

Designated year

2017

Location

평창군, 강원특별자치도— 강원도 평창군 오대산로 176 (진부면) 월정사성보박물관

Coordinates

37.794500, 128.541600Museum-based location

The stone bodhisattva -- located to the south of the octagonal nine-story stone pagoda, which stands at the center of Woljeongsa Temple sanctuary -- displays a half-kneeling position facing the pagoda, as if making an offering to it, suggesting that both structures were made as a pair from the beginning. The style of pairing a devotee and a pagoda as a dual object of worship is recognized as a distinctive feature of the Korean Buddhist art established during the early Goryeo period (918-1392), and is rarely seen outside Korea. Extant examples show that the sculptures of a Buddhist devotee paired with a pagoda were particularly favored by Buddhists in present-day Gangwon-do, and are regarded as important sources of information regarding regional differences in Buddhist sculpture during the Goryeo Dynasty.

Location