‘삼단팔각’ 연화대좌의 통일신라 수용과 전개

Abstract

The beginning of ‘octagonal three-step’ lotus pedestal was the pedestal of the main statue of Seokguram(石窟庵). The most distinct feature of ‘octagonal three-step’ lotus pedestal in the middle 8th century, which began with the main statue of Seokguram, is that the height of the middle pedestal is relatively low. Each side of the middle pedestal in this period had an almost square form in which its width and length are almost the same. A seated stone statue of Buddha in temple Borisa(菩提寺) in the middle 8th century and seated statue of Viroçana Buddha in temple Seoknamamsa(石南巖寺) in 766 fall within this same category. Interestingly, since then, the pedestal of Buddha images chronologized into the late 8th century and the early 9th century had strikingly heightened the middle pedestal, and ansang(眼象) of the middle pedestal was carved or various embossed works appeared in ansang. Since the middle 9th century, though there was no change in the height of the middle pedestal, the distinction from the earlier pedestal disappeared as an octagonal stone was added. Moreover, the socle of bottom pedestal, separated from the bottom pedestal, was heightened, and various embossed works were also carved in ansang. Representative examples include the seated Buddha images in temple Donghwasa(桐華寺), temple Dopiansa(到彼岸寺), and temple Chwiseosa(鷲棲寺). Such a form of the pedestal, established in the middle 9th century, persisted for a pretty long period of times without great changes until the middle Goryeo age. The greatest change in the pedestal along the flow of time, as you know, is the height. Of course, needless to say, the height here is not an absolute height. The height of the pedestal, compared to the Buddha image, had increased over time, which was the most noticeable feature of ‘octagonal three-step’ lotus pedestal in United Silla. Here, the decisive factor affecting the increased height of the pedestal was the height of the middle pedestal. As the height of the middle pedestal increased, the square form of the middle pedestal was gradually changed into the rectangular form, and changes over time include added octagonal stone between the middle pedestal and the bottom pedestal and the enhancement of the decoration of the pedestal with the bottom pedestal stone and its pedestal produced separately. As is discussed in this thesis, the form and style of the seated statue of Buddha pedestal are changed and this change usually agrees with the trend of the style of the Buddha image. In a sense, the statue of Buddha pedestal can be said to reflect contemporary styles more accurately than the Buddha image. I have tried to make this thesis as part of my pursued basic work in the research of Buddhist sculpture in United Silla through a rough outline of the changes in Buddha’s pedestal. I intend with this thesis to review the importance of the Buddhistic halo or the pedestal, which have been away from researchers’ interest so far, and to remind their significance.