Clay Seated Sakyamuni Buddha Triad and Sixteen Arhats of Heungguksa Temple, Namyangju

These 23 Buddhist statues depict a Sakyamuni Buddha triad, sixteen arhats, Indra (an ancient Indian diety), a guardian king, and two messengers. Their exact period of creation is unknown, but they are presumed to have been made at the same time. According to a written repair vow found inside one of them, the statues were originally enshrined at Yaksaam Hermitage of Ansimsa Temple in Wanju, repaired in 1650, moved to Heungguksa Temple in 1891, and repaired again in 1892. Furthermore, this collection includes the oldest extant set of statues depicting the sixteen arhats in Korea.

The Buddha triad in the center consists of Sakyamuni (Buddha of the Present) as the principal buddha with Dipankara (Buddha of the Past) to his left and Maitreya (Buddha of the Future) to his right. All three statues were made of clay and gilded. Their faces have an inverted triangle shape with wide foreheads and narrow chins, while their small faces and slender bodies are in balanced proportion. Such aesthetic features are characteristic of late 15th- and early 16th-century Buddhist statues. Meanwhile, the facial expressions, ample volume, and lines follow the form of 16th-century Buddhist statues. The folds of the robes, which are Clay Seated Sakyamuni Buddha Triad and Sixteen Arhats of Heungguksa Temple, Namyangju

These 28 Buddhist statues depict a Sakyamuni Buddha triad and sixteen Arhats (Nahan), accompanied by Indra (Jeoseokcheonsang), a messenger (Sajasan), and guardian figures (Inwang). The exact period of creation of the clay seated Sakyamuni Buddha Triad is unknown, but a written vow (balwonmun) found inside, detailing the name of the painter who carried out the third repair in 1650, suggests they were made much earlier than 1650. The Sixteen Arhats are reputed to be the oldest extant set of Arhat statues in Korea.

They were originally enshrined at Yaksaam Hermitage of Ansimsa Temple in Gosan, Jeollado (now Wanju), moved to Heungguksa Temple in 1891, repaired again, and enshrined from the following year. The overall composition consists of 28 statues: the central Sakyamuni Buddha, flanked by Maitreya Bodhisattva and Dipankara Bodhisattva (Jeohwagalla Bosalsang) on his left and right, and surrounded by the Arhats, Indra, messengers, and guardian figures. The Buddha triad's faces have an inverted triangle shape with wide foreheads and narrow chins, and their small faces and slender bodies maintain a balanced proportion. Such aesthetic features are characteristic of Buddhist statues created between the late 15th and early 16th centuries of the Joseon Dynasty. However, the facial expressions, ample volume, and lines resemble the style just preceding the late 16th century. The folds of the robes of the Sakyamuni Buddha Triad are simple but have deep contours, creating a sense of dimensionality that makes good use of the clay's material nature. The Arhats have various facial expressions and poses, including sitting with a lion or tiger, holding a Buddhist scripture, or clasping their hands together. Some Arhats are also depicted with prayer beads or banana leaves. Indra is seated on a chair, the messenger holds a scroll.

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