A Gentle Smile of the Standing Gilt-bronze Buddhist Saint

The small figure you are looking at now is a Buddhist saint made out of gilt-bronze. A Buddhist saint is a disciple who follows Buddha and leads the people. They were depicted as beautifully decorated, wearing bejeweled crowns and other jewelry such as bracelets and brooches. It was designed to closely resemble a human being so that people would feel more comfortable in its presence than they would in the presence of a deity.

There are many different Buddhist saints, but this one is called Maitreya. It is said that this saint would descend from heaven to enlighten and liberate the world and to offer mercy to Buddhist devotees in the future. The Maitreya was especially popular with the people, due to the belief that the saint would free them from their difficult lives. The saint was more popular in times of great transition and trouble than during periods of peace. The 6th century, when this statue was produced, was a time of crisis and confusion within Baekje. This Buddhist saint comforted the people of Baekje, who were suffering greatly as a result of constant war.

Let's take a close look at the features of this saint, the savior of the people of Baekje.

The saint is depicted wearing a crown with three tips, which resemble mountain peaks, and its hair falls over its cheeks and down to its shoulders. The statue's face and chubby cheeks give an impression of vivacity. Its eyes are half-open and look downwards, while the corners of its mouth curve upwards in a smile. The savior whom the Baekje people had prayed for had the benevolent, peaceful smile of a mother looking at her child.