Stone Standing Buddhas in Godo-ri, Iksan

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.46

Category

Sculpture

Era

고려시대

Designated year

1963

Location

익산시, 전북특별자치도— 전북 익산시 금마면 서고도리 400-2번지, 동고도리 1086번지

Coordinates

35.979415, 127.051871

These two stone standing Buddha statues face each other about 200 meters apart. Each statue consists of a simple trapezoid-shaped stone pillar carved with a face and hands. According to an ancient legend, these male and female statues of Buddha come together in the 12th month of the lunar calendar to unburden their thoughts about the past year, and then return to their customary positions at the call of the rooster and the coming of dawn. Each of the statues has a square face with narrow eyes, short nose, and small mouth that are barely visible, conveying the expression of a guardian spirit from folklore, and is topped with a square, slab-like hat. As the necks are very short, the heads appear to be attached directly to the shoulders, while the bodies are essentially stone pillars without any curves or limbs, and the hands are barely carved on the stomach. The clothing, resembling Korean full-dress, is expressed with just a few simple lines without any patterns. Both pedestals and statues were made from the same block of stone. The square stone pillars and unrealistic sculpture techniques are similar to those of the stone statues at tombs. These Buddha statues are regarded as typical examples of the large stone statues with limited corporeal expression made during the Goryeo Dynasty.

Location