▲ Rock cliff Buddha of Seosan

You will meet a statue of the Buddha engraved on a rock cliff as you climb a steep mountain path of Mt. Gaya in Seosan, Chungcheongnam-do.

A statue of the Buddha engraved on a rock is called the ※rock-carved Buddha§, one of which is the Rock-carved Buddha Triad in Yonghyeon-ri, Unsan-myeon, Seosan (national treasure no. 84), known as the ※Rock cliff Buddha of Seosan§ to Koreans.

It was only in 1959 when it became known to the world after having been hidden in the back of the history. The discovery of the rock-carved Buddha triad of Seosan, which had been buried in Mt. Gaya, surprised the world. The three Buddha statues engraved on a cold and hard rock were smiling warmly and benevolently. It was the smile of Baekje.
 
The rock-carved Buddha triad has a Buddha standing statue in the center, to the left of which stands a half-sitting, contemplating stone statue, and to the right stands a Bodhisattva standing statue that is covering a bead with both hands.

A Buddha standing statue with a stirring broad smile, a Bodhisattva standing statue holding a gentle smile, a half-sitting, contemplating stone statue with an innocent boy's smile make one feel the unique mercy and unhurriedness of Baekje.
 
The Rock-carved Buddha triad is of universal form that was prevalent in Northeast Asia in the sixth and seventh centuries, but being together with a Bodhisattva standing statue that holds a cintamani as well as with a half-sitting, contemplating statue is a very peculiar form that can be found nowhere including China, Japan, Goguryeo, and Silla.

Additionally, the realistic and humane voluptuous smile is expressed differently depending on the direction of light illuminating it. A bright and peaceful smile in the morning and a soft merciful smile in the evening are seen. You will admire the original wisdom of the Baekje people by the aesthetic superiority of the statues of Buddha, which change in harmony every minute with light.
 
The rock-carved Buddha triad of Yonghyeon-ri, Seosan, which is the most distinguished artwork of the late Baekje (7C) among those found in Korea, was discovered by accident in the midst of investigation of Bowonsa Temple Site in 1959 and was designated as national treasure no. 84 in 1962.