[Exclusive] Muaesa Temple in Geochang Creates World's Largest Rock-Carved Medicine Buddha, Drawing Attention

Standing image: 42 meters tall; seated image: 21 meters tall and 19 meters wide... Monumental Buddhist sculpture draws attention
Venerable Unam's devotion and the sculptural artistry of Kim Gwangyeol of Jagwang Buddhist Sculpture Studio bear fruit
Approximately KRW 3.6 billion invested over six years... Hopes rise for a cultural tourism landmark that fosters shared prosperity with the community beyond religion

A rock-carved image of Bhaisajyaguru Buddha, described as the world's largest, has been created at Muaesa Temple in Wicheon-myeon, Geochang County, Gyeongsangnam-do, drawing interest from the Buddhist community and local residents.

According to Muaesa Temple, the standing image of Bhaisajyaguru Buddha is 42 meters tall, while the seated image is 21 meters tall and 19 meters wide. The monumental Buddhist sculpture was created by Kim Gwangyeol, head of Jagwang Buddhist Sculpture Studio.

In particular, the rock carving is a major achievement of the temple's construction project, which Venerable Unam has pursued for about six years. It is significant for rendering Bhaisajyaguru Buddha, who embodies Buddhist compassion and the salvation of sentient beings, as a large-scale work of sculptural art.

[Photo provided by Choi Sunkyung] A rock-carved image of Bhaisajyaguru Buddha at Muaesa Temple in Wicheon-myeon, Geochang County, Gyeongsangnam-do. Created by Kim Gwangyeol, head of Jagwang Buddhist Sculpture Studio, the monumental work features a standing Buddha 42 meters tall and a seated Buddha 21 meters tall and 19 meters wide. Muaesa Temple describes it as the world's largest rock-carved image of Bhaisajyaguru Buddha.

In Buddhism, Bhaisajyaguru Buddha is known as the Buddha who alleviates the illnesses and suffering of sentient beings and is prayed to for health and peace. Muaesa Temple's large rock-carved image has therefore attracted attention as a place of prayer for Buddhists and as a symbolic sculpture introducing visitors to the significance of Buddhist culture.

A rock-carved Buddha generally refers to an image carved into a natural cliff or rock surface. Creating a large rock carving requires comprehensive consideration of structural stability and sculptural details, including facial expressions and the folds of the robes, as well as the overall proportions and balance.

Kim Gwangyeol, head of Jagwang Buddhist Sculpture Studio, who undertook this work, is said to have created the distinctive sculptural features of Buddhist art in keeping with the scale of the standing and seated images.

The creation of Muaesa Temple is said to have begun with a personal religious experience of Venerable Unam.

Venerable Unam recalled, "In a dream, I saw the entire area around Wicheon glowing gold. In the dream, the Buddha appeared and gave me KRW 200 million, along with the instruction to secure land on which to build a temple."

Venerable Unam added, "At the time, I did not have the financial means to build a temple, but about a month later, KRW 200 million in funding was actually secured. I used the money to purchase land, put up a tent and begin a 1,000-day prayer, and that is how I continued the temple-building project."

According to Venerable Unam, the Muaesa Temple development project has been underway for about six years, with approximately KRW 3.6 billion invested to date in constructing the temple and improving the surrounding area.

Venerable Unam said that approximately KRW 300 million of that amount was spent just on planting flowers, flowering trees and landscaping trees around the temple.

The aim is to create Muaesa Temple not only as a religious facility visited by Buddhists, but also as a place where tourists and local residents can enjoy the natural scenery and relax.

Venerable Unam also said that declining religious populations and the loss of local populations are issues that all members of the community should consider together.

"We are living in a time when the number of religious believers is falling and local populations are shrinking," Venerable Unam said. "Geochang's future development is not a matter for government agencies alone to worry about. People from various sectors of the community and religious leaders should also put their heads together and consider it."

Venerable Unam added, "Wicheon-myeon, where Muaesa Temple is located, has exceptionally beautiful scenery. I wanted to make the temple a place where anyone could come, enjoy nature and rest comfortably, even if they are not Buddhist."

In line with this vision, Muaesa Temple is working to create a space where religion and nature come together, planting flowers and trees and improving the surrounding landscape around the large rock-carved image of Bhaisajyaguru Buddha.

The area around Muaesa Temple in Wicheon-myeon, Geochang County, is home to tourist attractions such as Suseungdae and Wolseong Valley, and has strong potential for tourism development that makes use of its natural scenery.

Accordingly, if the large rock-carved image of Bhaisajyaguru Buddha becomes a new religious and cultural tourist attraction, it is expected to have a positive impact on drawing visitors in coordination with existing destinations and boosting the local economy.

Muaesa Temple aims to serve not only as a religious facility but also as an open cultural space for local residents and tourists. For this reason, attention is also turning to plans for visitor amenities and ways to link the temple with nearby tourist attractions.

Attention is focused on whether the monumental rock-carved image of Bhaisajyaguru Buddha, brought to life through the devotion of Venerable Unam of Muaesa Temple and the sculptural artistry of Kim Gwangyeol of Jagwang Buddhist Sculpture Studio, can become a new Buddhist cultural landmark in Geochang and contribute to tourism and shared prosperity in the area.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.