Among the Three Kingdoms, the Silla Kingdom was rather retard in systemizing its governmental organizations and in adapting Buddhism. However, in the seventh century, the Silla Kingdom on base of its accumulated national power began to antively partic...
Among the Three Kingdoms, the Silla Kingdom was rather retard in systemizing its governmental organizations and in adapting Buddhism. However, in the seventh century, the Silla Kingdom on base of its accumulated national power began to antively participated in importing advanced Chinese cultural products in order to unify the divided Korean peninsular, while Silla buddhist monks were also involved in introducing Chinese buddhist cultureto the Silla society.
Since the direct contacts with China became frequent in the first half of the seventh century, Silla buddhist sculptures that assimilated those of China were increasingly produced. The most representative works of that period are Stone Triads in Samhwaryeong(三花嶺石造三尊佛像), Stone Triads in Baedong(慶州拜洞石造三尊佛像), Engraves Buddhist Images in Danseok Mt.(斷石山磨崖佛像). Usually made of stone, seventh-century sculptures reached a certain artistic sophistication, featured with simple elegance.
Under the strong influen ce of Sui(隋) buddhist sculptures, seventh-century Silla buddhist sculptures found its own artistic expression different from those of Goguryeo and Baekje Kingdoms. Probably, the stout and voluminous style of Silla buddhist sculptures with an oversized head was originated from by Northern Zhou(北周) style, prevalent in the Chang'an(長安) , the capital of the Sui Dynasty( 隋王朝).
In the discussion, Ⅰ attempt to examine the execution date of the above mentioned stone sculptures. Engraves Buddhist Images in Danseok Mt. is generally agreed to be the earliest work among the seventh-century Silla buddhist sculptures. However, I believe Stone Triads in Samhwaryeong i s the far earliest one because it still conceives some artistic similarities with the archaic style. Stone Triads in Baedong that reflects the prototype of Sui buddhist sculptures is probably the second earliest one. I 'd like to address here that Engraves Buddhist Images in Danseok Mt. might have been executed after Stone Triads in Baedong because its artistic expression seemed to have not been totally dependent to Sui style, but also to the indigenous aesthetic of Silla's art.
In sum, I believe that as the direct contact between the Silla Kingdom and China increased, Silla buddhist sculptures became strongly influenced by the style of Sui Buddhist sculptures, and went through an independent srylistic development whitout being influenced by the Goguryeo and Baekje Kingdoms. In spite of the profound
and direct influence of Sui buddhist style, Silla buddhist sculptures paved its own stylistic way by differentiating them from those of Goguryeo and Baekje Kingdoms.