Maesan-ri Standing Stone Buddha

This is a 3.9m tall bodhisattva statue located near Bongeopsa Temple site in Anseong. Its body is like a flat stone pillar without volume, and overall details are not elaborately carved. The tall cylindrical crown topped with a square canopy (bogae; a parasol used by nobles in India when going out, placed like a hat over the Buddha's head) is a stylistic characteristic of early Goryeo Buddhist statues. The canopy later underwent transformations and is a feature of early Goryeo Buddhist statues mainly found in Chungcheong-do and southern Gyeonggi-do. The square, flat face has narrow, horizontally expressed eyes, a short nose, and a small mouth. The detailed facial expression, along with the tall crown, well demonstrates the temporal characteristics of this work. On the rounded shoulders, a somewhat thick robe is draped only over the left shoulder. The robe, covering the entire front of the body from the left shoulder, has U-shaped folds expressed in a stepped pattern from the chest, which then form individual U-shapes on both legs and extend to the toes. As befits a bodhisattva, bracelets are worn on both wrists. The right hand is placed at the chest with the palm facing outward and fingers slightly bent, while the left hand, with the back of the hand facing outward, is placed on the abdomen. The head ornament consisting of a round crown and canopy, along with the stone pillar-like body expression, makes this a representative work belonging to the lineage of large stone Buddhas that were popular in Chungcheong-do and southern Gyeonggi-do during the early Goryeo period.

(Source: Cultural Heritage Administration)