Medicine Buddha Triad Carved into Bang Rock: Eomuldong Rock-Cut Seated Buddha
A Unified Silla-period triad of the Medicine Buddha carved into a natural rock face at San 121, Eomuldong, Buk-gu, Ulsan. Open year-round and free of charge, it is located on a mountainside about 50 meters from the road, so check the driving and walking route before considering public transportation.
I’ve been here?
Your check-in helps the next traveler.
23 people viewed this week Be the first
One tap — no writing needed
On-site conditions to know first at San 121, Eomul-dong, Buk-gu, Ulsan
The address of the Eomul-dong Rock-carved Seated Buddha is San 121beonji, Eomul-dong, Buk-gu, Ulsan Metropolitan City. Official tourism information states that it is open at all times and free of charge, so this is not a place where you need to plan around a separate ticket booth or admission ticket. Although it is listed as open year-round, publicly available information does not confirm whether viewing restrictions apply depending on the season or weather.
This is not an exhibition hall standing on flat ground directly beside a road. Visitor reviews state that the rock-carved seated Buddha is on a mountain slope about 50 m to the left of the road, so it is safest to expect a short uphill section and unpaved or uneven ground at the end. Whether wheelchair and stroller access is possible, as well as the accessible and restricted areas, has not been confirmed.
How to travel while preparing for the final 50 m instead of a ticket booth
The exact station name, exit, and bus route could not be confirmed from publicly available information. According to visitor reviews, the driving route involves traveling about 6 km from Pokpomi-reuk Sandang toward Jeongja Beach, turning right at a three-way intersection, and then traveling another approximately 2.5 km. After that, you must enter the mountain slope about 50 m to the left of the road.
Even when using the Gangdong Sarang-gil Trail, do not think of this spot simply as a coastal walking attraction. Construction of the Gangdong Sarang-gil Trail began in 2010, and all sections from Course 1, “The Path of Faith,” to Course 7, “The Path of Hope,” opened in 2014. The entire trail is 27.9 km long, and the Rock-carved Seated Buddha is a historical and cultural heritage site encountered along the route together with Jeongjahang Port, Ugahang Port, and Dangsa Port.
A parking lot is mentioned, but the capacity and fees are unknown
A visitor review mentions arriving at the “Eomul-dong Rock-carved Seated Buddha parking lot next to Maesa Temple.” However, the available parking capacity and parking fees could not be confirmed from publicly available information, so it is best not to plan on parking a large vehicle or group vehicle.
A 2023 document records a facility improvement plan for the public restroom near the site, including closing the existing circulating toilet and temporarily installing a portable temporary toilet. Therefore, rather than treating restroom condition and availability as key convenience factors, it is more practical to prepare before departure. The recommended viewing time also could not be confirmed from published materials.
Why was it carved into a natural cliff after the middle Unified Silla period?
The Eomul-dong Rock-carved Seated Buddha is a rock-carved Buddha from Unified Silla of the Northern and Southern States period in Buk-gu, Ulsan. Its production date is estimated to be after the middle Unified Silla period, and it was designated a Tangible Cultural Heritage of Ulsan Metropolitan City on October 9, 1997. The current official name of the cultural heritage is the “Three Buddhas of Medicine at Eomul-dong, Ulsan.”
The reason this heritage site remains outdoors as it is today is that the surface of a large natural cliff itself was used as the sculpting surface. The central principal Buddha is carved in relief on a huge natural cliff called “Bangbawi,” while the nearly semicircular background cliff serves as a gigantic halo embracing the three figures. In other words, this is a site where the rock and the Buddhas form a single structure, rather than independent stone statues inside a separate Buddhist hall.
How to identify the Medicine Buddha in the 5 m principal statue
The central principal statue is 5 m high and 3.5 m wide, depicted seated in the lotus position. The head is large and the face is square and regular, while both ears hang long and reach the shoulders. Three neck lines are faintly visible, and the dignified shoulders are covered with a robe draped over both shoulders.
The position of the hands is the key to understanding this Buddha’s identity. The right hand is raised and held in front of the chest, while the left hand placed before the abdomen holds a medicine bowl, indicating that it is a Medicine Buddha. However, because the cliff is made of fragile sandstone, the front surface is severely damaged, and details such as the face and garment folds are unclear due to weathering.
The crowns of the two attendant bodhisattvas and the lost details
The left and right attendant bodhisattva statues are standing figures recorded as 3.5 m high and 1 m wide each. They are much smaller than the principal statue, and their faces are represented as extremely large in proportion to their bodies. Unlike the principal statue, their faces are relatively slender, and both ears hang long.
The two bodhisattvas wear crowns, each topped with a circular jewel-shaped ornament. Because the shapes of the sun and moon are presumed to be represented within those ornaments, the two figures are interpreted as the Bodhisattva of Sunlight and the Bodhisattva of Moonlight. The areas below the faces, especially the bodies, are severely worn and unclear, but the clear depiction of a Medicine Buddha triad with the Bodhisattvas of Sunlight and Moonlight as the attendants on either side is an important characteristic of this heritage site.
Distinguishing Courses 6 and 4 when combining the site with the Gangdong Sarang-gil Trail
The Gangdong Sarang-gil Trail consists of seven courses in total, each introduced as an easy walking route taking approximately one to two hours. The shortest course is Course 6 at 2.5 km, while the longest is Course 4 at 5.9 km. Whether to visit only the Rock-carved Seated Buddha by car or also walk along the coastal ports and trail is best decided by considering this difference in distance.
Along this trail, you can connect the port scenery of Jeongjahang, Ugahang, and Dangsa Port with Geumsiljeong, the Old School of Memories, the Ugasansan Yupo Beacon Station, and the Eomul-dong Rock-carved Seated Buddha. However, rather than forcing the entire 27.9 km Gangdong Sarang-gil Trail into a single day, it is clearer for first-time visitors to approach the mountain-slope entrance by car, inspect the 50 m site section, and then choose a separate walking course.
Questions and contact information remaining before your visit
Whether photography is prohibited, whether payment is cash-only, whether English information and an audio guide are available, and the closing time could not be confirmed from publicly available information. Therefore, although this is a free outdoor cultural heritage site, it is safest to avoid touching the Buddha or climbing the cliff, and to follow on-site signs regarding photography. Because the mountain-slope section is about 50 m from the road, nonslip shoes are suitable.
The contact telephone number requires confirmation. The official tourism page of Ulsan Metropolitan City lists it as the “Three Buddhas of Medicine at Eomul-dong, Ulsan.” The address is San 121beonji, Eomul-dong, Buk-gu, Ulsan Metropolitan City. On-site viewing is listed as open at all times, free, and open year-round, but parking capacity, fees, and accessibility information have not been made public, so it is best not to treat these three items as fixed conditions for your itinerary.
Before You Go
- Address
- San 121beonji, Eomul-dong, Buk-gu, Ulsan Metropolitan City
- Hours
- Open at all times
- Closed
- Open year-round
- Admission
- Free
- Phone
- 052-229-3732
- Official site
- https://www.ulsan.go.kr/tour/kor/unit/attrctn/view.do?mId=001002007000000000&unqId=91
- Transport
- According to visitor reviews, travel about 6 km from Pokpomi-reuk Sandang toward Jeongja Beach, turn right at a three-way intersection, and continue about 2.5 km; the site is on a mountain slope about 50 m to the left of the road
- Parking
- A parking lot is mentioned, but its capacity and fees could not be confirmed
- Accessibility
- Only the visitor-review description that it is on a mountain slope about 50 m to the left of the road could be confirmed; wheelchair and stroller access could not be confirmed
The information above is current as of the time of writing. Check the official guidance again before visiting.
Places
Nearby Attractions 3
-
1
-
2
Dangsa Marine Fishing ParkA place where you can walk along a promenade over the sea and enjoy fishing. -
3
Food & Dining 2
-
4
Wangsil Sashimi RestaurantA place at Jeongja Port serving participant flounder sashimi and seafood dishes -
5
Haebyeon ChojangjipA place where you can bring sashimi from Jeongja Port and eat it with chojang sauce
More Travel Guides in This Area
Travel Guide
Ulsan Theme Botanical Arboretum on Soepyeong-gil in Dong-gu, from Land Acquisition in 1987 to Opening in 2004
Travel Guide
Traces of Silla’s Buddhist Land at the Foot of Magolsan Mountain: Ulsan Dongchuksa Temple
Travel Guide
132 Seats Facing the East Sea: Gangdong Sea Library’s 4th-Floor Rooftop
Travel Guide
Reading Ulsan Port’s journey since its 1963 opening in a 360 m² lounge
Korea News
News
‘NewJeans Expulsion’ Danielle Releases Her First YouTube Video… “We Don’t Know What Will Happen Next”
![aespa’s North American Tour Has Remaining Seats Despite ‘$49’ Bargain Prices… A Stark Popularity Gap with KATSEYE [TEN Starfield]](https://kotourlive-images.s3.ap-northeast-1.amazonaws.com/news/1788485037424_a59b1932_naver_rank_thumb_0000774618_1788485037424.jpg){kind=icon}
News
aespa’s North American Tour Has Remaining Seats Despite ‘$49’ Bargain Prices… A Stark Popularity Gap with KATSEYE [TEN Starfield]
![[Photo] TWICE’s Dahyun attends a film festival red carpet as an actress](https://kotourlive-images.s3.ap-northeast-1.amazonaws.com/news/1788485316508_edd43ecd_news_870a60a6-6f11-4d73-aa7c-48d91318a0f7.jpg)
News
[Photo] TWICE’s Dahyun attends a film festival red carpet as an actress
![[On-Site Video] “We’re Departing Separately Together”… BIGBANG Begins ‘COSMOS’ World Tour](https://kotourlive-images.s3.ap-northeast-1.amazonaws.com/news/1788485226518_c5719641_news_fdd4764a-0f4e-4968-8e4e-e98a02872f88.jpg)
News