Stone Seated Buddha at Galhangsa Temple Site, Gimcheon

This stone image of a seated buddha, enshrined in a pavilion built in 1978 at the site of Galhangsa Temple, is presumed to date to circa 758. The buddha was depicted in an idealistic yet realistic manner with a gentle yet sophisticated style that is characteristic of Buddhist statues from the mid-8th century during the Unified Silla period (676-935).

Galhangsa Temple is said to have founded in the Unified Silla period by the monk Seungjeon and used until the Joseon period (1392-1910). According to the Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms (Samguk yusa), Seungjeon is said to have built the temple and gave a lecture in front of about 80 stones on the Avatamsaka Sutra (The Flower Garland Sutra) which was a miraculous and unusual deed.

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