Namsan Yongjangsa Temple Site

The Seated Buddha Carved on a Rock Face at Yongjangsa Temple Site on Namsan Mountain, Gyeongju, is a Buddha image carved directly onto a rock surface at the former Yongjangsa Temple site on Namsan Mountain in Gyeongju. At the Yongjangsa Temple site, a Three-story Stone Pagoda (Treasure No. 186) and a Seated Stone Buddha (Treasure No. 187) remain alongside this Buddha image. On the Buddha's head, small, snail-shell-shaped curls are carved in layers, and the usnisa, a cranial protuberance that rises above the head like a topknot, is depicted large and broad. A gentle smile is visible on the face, where the eyes, nose, and mouth are clearly carved. The folds of the drapery are expressed by densely drawn parallel lines. The right hand, placed on the knee, has its fingertips pointing towards the ground, while the left hand is placed near the abdomen. The head nimbus and body nimbus are expressed with two lines. Approximately 10 characters are carved on the outer part of the left shoulder, and the initial section can be read as "Taepyeong 2nd year, 8th month" (太平二年八月). Therefore, this Seated Buddha Carved on a Rock Face is presumed to have been created in either 977 or 1022.