Namwon Singye-ri Rock-Carved Seated Buddha

About this place

The Singye-ri Rock-Carved Seated Buddha is a relief carving of a seated Buddha on the south face of a prominent rock on the eastern mid-slope of Pungaksan Mountain. According to legend, the monk Doseon made it overnight in the early Goryeo period. The halo encircling the body with a string of beads is a rare example. The garment draped over the left shoulder is rendered in simple lines. The face is round and plump with relatively vivid features. The broad shoulders, full chest, plump arms and legs convey a dynamic quality. The nose and parts of the earlobes are broken off but overall preservation is good. Although the Singye-ri Rock-Carved Seated Buddha retains the appearance of a Unified Silla-period Buddha in its facial expression, it can be identified as an early Goryeo work through the stiff atmosphere and the incised line technique visible in the robe folds.