Stone Standing Buddha in Mireuk-ri, Chungju

This stone statue situated at the center of Mireukdaewon Stone Temple Site (Historic Site) depicts a standing buddha and is presumed to have been made around the 10th century during the Goryeo period (918-1392). It measures 10.6 m in height.

The statue consists of six stacked granite stones to create the pedestal, body, and octagonal hat of the statue. The lower body is roughly carved like a pillar in comparison to the delicately carved face and hands. This is a characteristic of large Buddhist statues of the early Goryeo dynasty.

The buddha has curly hair, eyes that seem to be closed, and eyebrows that are depicted as a semi-circular line that connects to the nose. The jewel-like spot carved between his eyebrows is a tuft of white hair which symbolizes his mercy shining out to the world. Both hands are raised to his chest, and in his left hand, he holds a round object that is presumed to be a wish-fulfilling jewel.

The area where this statue is located has been excavated five times since 1977. Many shards of pottery and roof tiles inscribed with the name "Mireuk" discovered, suggesting that this was a temple honoring Maitreya, the Future Buddha (known as Mireukbul in Korean). However, since it is uncommon for Maitreya to be depicted holding a wish-fulfilling jewel, so it is uncertain whether this statue is a Maitreya Buddha. Behind the statue and to each side, there are stone platforms on top of which a wooden structure once stood which is presumed to have been a grotto-like worship hall. Some relief sculptures still remain on the stone platforms, but the wooden structure was burnt down.

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