Buddha with Inscription: “Seventh Year of Yeonga”

This small statue is the oldest Buddhist sculpture with an inscribed date that has ever been found in Korea. The inscription reads the “seventh year of Yeonga,” which places the date of production in the Goguryeo era, circa 539 CE. It was discovered in 1963 in Uiryeong, Gyeongsangnam-do, in amazingly good condition for a 1400-year-old relic; the Buddha’s pedestal and halo remain almost completely intact. The discovery of a Goguryeo Buddha at a site in Silla territory can be regarded as concrete evidence that the excavation site of a relic is not necessarily the site where it was produced.
The backside of the halo bears the inscription, which records when, where, and why the statue was made, as well as who made it, providing valuable information for the study of ancient Korean Buddhist art. In addition to the aforementioned date, the inscription reveals that the statue was made at a temple called Nangnyangdongsa in the State of Goryeo (i.e., Goguryeo), and that it was the 29th of 1000 Buddhas distributed by the temple.
The Buddha is dressed in a thick dharma robe with flared hems, and his face is rather slim, revealing the influence of China’s Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534). However, the faint smile, voluminous veil robe, thick lotus pedestal, and halo embellished with a dynamic flame design show that it is a Goguryeo work.