Great Unification Buddha

I took this photo during a serene morning visit to Sinheungsa Temple in Seoraksan National Park, South Korea. The towering bronze statue you see is the Great Unification Buddha, or Tongil Daebul, standing vigilantly with a calm and compassionate expression. This immense statue faces northward, symbolically gazing toward North Korea — a poignant embodiment of silent hope and enduring prayer for the peaceful reunification of the Korean Peninsula.

The statue itself is nearly 15 meters (around 49 feet) tall, not including the base, and was completed in 1997. It rests atop a lotus pedestal, and its mudra — the hand gesture — represents “Calling the Earth to Witness,” signifying steadfastness and the triumph over adversity.

In the foreground, I captured an intricately carved bronze incense burner with a phoenix atop — a mythological creature often associated with rebirth and harmony. The soft patina of the metal, enhanced by time and weather, added beautiful green-blue highlights that perfectly echoed the surrounding forest canopy.