South Korea: successfully excavated a 1,300-year-old Buddha image

After months of careful digging in the mountains of Gyeongju - South Korea's ancient capital in the Silla dynasty, eventually the giant Buddha statue dating back to 1,300 years also showed its original face close to perfect.

The 5.6-meter-tall Buddha statue weighs 70 tons and is found lying down on the ground. Archaeologists were initially concerned that the statue may have been severely destroyed when it fell down several hundred years ago.

Fortunately after excavation, only one large piece of stone about 5 centimeters was missing from the nose, and all were miraculously preserved."It is unbelievable that the face of the Buddha only damaged a tiny piece after being laid down on the ground, the fact that we still do not know the cause so far" - Respected Jigwan Church of the Korean Jogye Church Quoc said.

(Photo: AFP)

On September 11, for the first time, Gyeongju Cultural Heritage Institute - a local research center under the National Cultural Heritage Commission officially revealed the excavation site with the communication wing. Up to this point, the Buddha image has revealed the entire face, chest and shoulders, in which the face is tilted against the ground at a 45 degree angle.

According to the institute's estimate, the statue was poured shortly after construction, estimated at the end of the 8th century. The Buddha's head is relatively larger than the real symmetry, but according to the expert way. The explanation is to create a balanced image when viewed from the bottom up.

'We hope to return the statue to the original place by the end of this year, knowing that it is not easy because it weighs 70 tons' - according to Director of You Hong-june of the Cultural Heritage Committee. .

(Photo: AFP)

Thuy Van