Samhwasa Cheoljonosanabul Seated Figure, Donghae

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.1292

Category

Sculpture

Era

나말여초(9∼10세기)

Designated year

1998

Location

동해시, 강원특별자치도— 강원 동해시 무릉로 584, 삼화사 (삼화동)

Coordinates

37.463284, 129.013048

The Buddha image displays turban shell-shaped hair on the head. The slightly plump face points to the style of the Unified Silla Period (676 - 935). Overall, the image gives an impression of tidiness: the slit eyes, the straight nose, and the thick lips. The wrinkles of the robe appear to be lifeless. The repaired Buddha image has the right hand held up with the palm facing outward and the left hand put on the lap facing upward. In the course of carrying out the restoration work, the crew found a sheet of paper containing 161 Chinese characters in 10 lines from the back of the Buddha image. The description Rocana Buddha appears twice. The characters say that the Buddha image was made based on Avatamsaksa Sutra for the spirit of the deceased parents of the donor, with Monk Gyeoreon (who carried out activities in the 880s) playing a leading role; thus showing that it was made sometime between the end of the Unified Silla Period (676 - 935) and the early Goryeo Period (918-1392). The use of Idu (archaic writing system representing the Korean language using Chinese characters) in said sheet of paper makes it an important material for researchers studying the development of the Korean writing system.

Location