Iron Seated Buddha, Chungju

This iron statue, enshrined in Geungnakjeon Hall of Daewonsa Temple, depicts a seated buddha and dates to the Goryeo period (918-1392). Found in the vicinity of Chungju Technical High School (about 1 km to the southeast), the statue was relocated several times until it was brought to Daewonsa Temple in 1959. The name or the location of the Buddhist temple where the statue was originally enshrined remains unknown. Some presume that it could have been Uirimsa, a Goryeo-period temple located in Allim-dong (about 2 km to the east) near Daewon High School. A metal gong made in the year 1190 was found at the Uirimsa Temple Site.

The statue measures 98 cm in height. The buddha is depicted sitting with his legs crossed and his right foot resting on his left knee. He has curly hair and a large protuberance atop his head which symbolizes his wisdom.

The buddha's solemn appearance is accentuated by his narrow forehead, prominent facial features, eyes slanting upwards, and stiff closed mouth. The three creases on his neck and upper chest represent the “three destinies” of afflictions, actions, and suffering. The buddha's garment is draped over both of his shoulders and features symmetrical folds on the right and left sides, as well as a garment knot on his chest. The sharp impression and symmetrical garment folds are characteristic of the Buddhist iron statues of the Chungju area.

There are two other Buddhist iron statues in Chungju, one at Baegunam Hermitage and one at Danhosa Temple (both designated as Treasures), which shows that iron was produced at a large scale in this area in the past.

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