Clay Sakyamuni Buddha Triad and Excavated Relics of Dongguksa Temple, Gunsan

This clay Buddhist triad consists of Sakyamuni, the Historical Buddha, and his two principal disciples Ananda and Maha Kasyapa. The triad was made in 1650 by seven sculptor-monks including the monk Eungmae who was active in the Jeolla-do region. The composition is rare as most triads usually consist of buddhas and bodhisattvas. Each statue measures over 1.5m in height.

A number of relics were found inside the statues, such as a written vow, a Buddhist scripture, a container of votive objects, and a list of the 1,237 people who helped fund the triad's creation. The list contains the names of 382 monks and 855 lay followers, which shows the importance and scale of the project.

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