Seosan Rock-Carved Buddha Triad

Cut into a granite face in a wooded valley near Seosan is a triad from the late Baekje period, around the seventh century: a standing Buddha nearly three metres tall between a bodhisattva holding a jewel and a seated figure with a hand raised to the cheek in a pensive pose. It is called the smile of Baekje, and the reason people say the smile changes is straightforward - the relief faces roughly south-east on an open cliff, and as the sun moves the shadow in the corners of the mouth shifts, so the expression looks different in morning, midday and late light. Morning is generally reckoned the best. It was only identified in 1959, having sat unrecorded in the valley, and it is a National Treasure - among the finest Buddhist sculpture surviving from the kingdom. The site is small: a path, some steps, a shelter, the rock. Fifteen minutes of looking, an hour with the approach.

What's there

• The standing Buddha - the central figure, near three metres.
• The two attendants - the jewel-holder and the pensive figure.
• The changing expression - shadow shifting with the sun.
• The valley setting - the cliff in woodland, quiet.

When to go

April to June and September to November. Morning light is the recommendation for the smile. It is rarely crowded on weekdays.

Practical notes

It is one carved rock face and takes minutes to see. Interpretation on site is limited. In flat or overcast light the celebrated effect is simply not there.

Nearby

Sudeoksa and Haemieupseong are within a short drive.

Key facts