Dry-lacquered Seated Bhaisajyaguru Buddha and Excavated Relics of Cheongnyangsa Temple, Bonghwa

This statue of Bhaisajyaguru, or the Medicine Buddha, was made using the dry lacquer technique. In this technique, the basic shape of the sculpture is first made from clay. Then, it is repeatedly covered with several layers of hemp cloth soaked in lacquer sap which dry between each application. Once the statue has been covered with multiple layers of lacquered hemp cloth, the final details are sculpted.

The exact period in which this statue was created is unknown, but the radiocarbon dating on the hemp cloth suggests that the statue was made between the late 8th and early 10th century. This statue is one of the oldest remaining dry-lacquered Buddhist statues in Korea.

The relics found inside this statue include a written vow, a container of votive objects, documents and books, and a cosmic diagram known as the Diamond World Mandala.

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