Buddha

At 2.88 m in height and weighing 6.2 tons, this massive statue is the largest iron Buddha ever found in Korea. It was discovered at a temple site in Hasachang-dong, Hanam-si, Gyeonggi-do in 1911. An archaeological survey of the temple site carried out after the 1945 Liberation revealed that the statue was made during the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392). At the temple site, there are still fragments of the stone pedestal on which this huge image was placed. This Buddha is making the same “Earth-touching” hand-gesture as the famous Buddha of the Seokguram Grotto sanctuary in Gyeongju. However, this statue has an unnaturally slim waist and abstracted details. Traces of hardened varnish are visible on the knees, indicating that the sculpture was originally covered with a thick coat of varnish, with gold pasted over it. The nose and both hands were repaired at a later period.