Iron Seated Vairocana Buddha and Stone Pedestal of Janggoksa Temple, Cheongyang

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.174

Category

Sculpture

Era

고려시대

Designated year

1963

Location

청양군, 충청남도— 충남 청양군 대치면 장곡길 241, 장곡사 (장곡리)

Coordinates

36.417306, 126.859565

This Iron Seated Vairocana Buddha (the Buddha of the All Pervading Light) is enshrined in the upper Daeungjeon Hall of Janggoksa Temple, which is located on Chilgapsan Mountain in Cheongyang-gun, Chungcheongnam-do. The Buddha has a small triangular face with long eyebrows, small thin eyes, a delicate nose and a small mouth. His shoulders are wide but not imposing; the left shoulder is covered by a robe, while the right shoulder is bare and poorly expressed. Both hands rest across his chest, with his right hand holding his left index finger in the unique hand position of Vairocana Buddha, known as jigwonin, which symbolizes that Buddha and all creatures are one. As the pedestal of the Buddha statue was originally made for a stone lantern, it does not fit harmoniously with the rest of the statue. The mandorla (halo of light emanating from the Buddha’s body) is made of wood. The dugwang (light radiating from the head) and singwang (light emanating from the body) are painted with flower patterns, while the edges of the mandorla are decorated with spark patterns that are similar to the mandorla of the Iron Seated Bhaisajyaguru Buddha and Stone Pedestal at Janggoksa Temple, Cheongyang (National Treasure No. 58). This statue is very different from other Vairocana Buddha statues of the mid-ninth century, being more similar to the style of the Stone Seated Vairocana Buddha at Gagyeonsa Temple, Goesan (Treasure No. 433) regarding its average looking face and weak body, and the poor sculpting technique applied to the right shoulder.

Location