Seosan Rock-carved Buddha Triad, the Smile of Baekje

This is the Exhibition Room 3, which houses a variety of Buddhist artworks that illustrate the religious beliefs of the people of Baekje. The Buddhist figure displayed here is a replica of a carving discovered on the rock cliff of a Buyeo mountain. It is believed to have been carved in the 7th century.

Buddha statues were commonly made in Asian regions, including India, the birthplace of Buddhism, Thailand and China. Buddhist figures made in India resembled Indian people and those from Thailand resembled Thai people. It was natural that people made Buddha statues in their own likenesses.

Look at the middle Sakyamuni Buddha and you will see it has a round face and a bright smile. The saint to the right has a childlike, innocent smile, whilst the saint to the left has a thin smile. In the actual rock cliff, the expression of the Buddhas appears to change according to the light. The bright morning sun reveals a bright smile and in the evening when the light is low, the expression appears more delicate and merciful. This mysterious smile in harmony with the natural environment best represents the beauty of the Buddhist art of Baekje, and Korean people call the expressions of these Buddha statues the “smile of Baekje.”