Wooden Seated Amitabha Buddha Triad and Excavated Relics of Yongyeonsa Temple, Daegu

The Wooden Seated Amitabha Buddha Triad enshrined in Geungnakjeon Hall of Yongyeonsa Temple consists of three statues of Amitabha Buddha flanked by two bodhisattvas, Avalokitesvara on the left and Mahasthamaprapta on the right. The statues are all made of wood and coated with gold. The principal Buddha statue stands 156 centimeters tall, while those of Avalokitesva and Mahasthamaprapta are 138 and 143 centimeters tall respectively. The Amitabha Buddha displays the characteristic mudra of Buddha statues made during the late Joseon period, in which both hands are gently placed on the lap with the tips of the thumb and index finger joined together The statueis also marked by a semispherical head with a square face and half-closed eyes, and a tubular nose and smiling lips. Samdo, I. e. The three wrinkles on the short neck, is the chara cteristic feature of the Buddhist statues made during the late Joseon period.

The principal Buddha t s physical appearance is characterized by a stable figure and harmoniously balanced physical proportions. He wears a dharma robe that covers both shoulders and drapes down over the knees, where a portion of its hem is depicted in the shap of an inverted triangle, an element dating back to the Buddhist statues of the Goryeo period (91 8-1392).

The triad was carved in 1655 by a group of monk-artists headed by Dou, who was active in the 17th century in theprovinces of Gyeongsang-do and Jeolla-do, and played a crucial role in the production of the Wooden Seated AmitabhaBuddha Triad of Unheungsa Temple (Treasure) in Daegu, the Wooden Seated Sakyamuni Buddha Triad of Songnimsa Temple (Treasure), and the Stone Seated Amitabha Buddha Triad (Treasure) in Chilgok-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do.

The votive relics discovered in the depository hidden inside the statues include written prayers commemorating the enshrinement and gilding of the statues, copies of various dharani, the Saddharmapundarika (Lotus) and Avatamsaka(Flower Garland) Sutras, a treasure container, and silk.

Source: Korea Heritage Service signboard ↗ · collected 2026-10-08