Stone Standing Bodhisattva in Sapgyo-eup, Yesan

This stone statue standing on the slope of Suamsan Mountain depicts a bodhisattva and is presumed to date to the mid-to-late period of the Goryeo dynasty (918-1392).

This 5.5 m-tall granite statue is made of two pieces which together create a long cylindrical shape. The bodhisattva is depicted with a hexagonal headdress, a smiling square face, and large ears. These features are characteristic of Buddhist statues from the Chungcheong-do region. He wears draped celestial garments and holds in his right hand a long staff that extends down in front of him to the pedestal.

This statue is presumed to have been made to pray for the well-being of the local people and to flaunt the patron's socio-economic power. Locals consider the bodhisattva to be Maitreya (the Future Buddha) and perform annual veneration rituals to the statue in late autumn.

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