Standing Gilt-bronze Buddhist of Mercy

Let’s now take a look at another Buddhist saint who represents the religious beliefs of the Baekje people? The little Buddhist figure that you are looking at now is a Buddhist saint made of gilt bronze.

As I mentioned earlier, a Buddhist saint is a disciple who follows Buddha and leads the people. The Buddhist saints were depicted as beautifully decorated, wearing bejeweled crowns and other items of jewelry such as bracelets and brooches. Such figures were designed to closely resemble a human being so that earthly people would feel more comfortable in its presence than they would in the presence of a deity.

Of the many different Buddhist saints, this is the Buddhist of Mercy. She listened to the voices and cries of all the people who were in pain and granted them relief and comfort. Along with the Maitreya, this saint was very popular in East Asia.

East Asian people tend to call on the Buddhist of Mercy when they are in trouble or when they find life too difficult. Baekje people behaved similarly.

Can you see the saint's chubby face, slight smile, and slim figure? Her garments cling to the body, clearly revealing her shape, and the right knee is bent slightly. Below her shoulders you can see her flowing garments and the fingers of her left hand lightly clutching the cloth. The saint is holding a aloft some beads in her right hand. In addition, there is a voluminous, multilayered, lotus shaped throne. Aren’t the details magnificent? This Buddhist of mercy represents the serene and majestic beauty of Baekje.