This 14-centimeter high gold statuette of standing Buddha was discovered along with the gold seated Buddha designated as National Treasure No. 79 at a sarira reliquary enshrined at the Three-story Stone Pagoda at Hwangboksa Temple Site, Gyeongju (National Treasure No. 37). The Buddha is standing on its own gold pedestal with a golden mandorla (Buddhist halo of light) set behind the head. The Buddha is marked by a notably large topknot (usnisa) and an oval face wearing a merciful smile. He has high, shapely nose and eyes looking ahead pensively. He is clothed in a rather thick robe that covers both shoulders and drapes down to create several U-shaped folds in front with the bottom edge flaring out, revealing the influence from the Buddhist statues of the Three Kingdoms Period (57 BC – 668). He has the right hand raised to turn the palm outward and the left hand to hold the robe. The mandorla symbolizing the glory emanating from the Buddha’s head is circular, consisting of a lotus flower motif at the center and three concentric circles with spokes representing the spreading rays of light. It is then encircled by an openwork flame design, eventually forming an onion shape. The pedestal, made separately before being fitted to the Buddha’s feet, is shaped like an overturned lotus blossom put on a double-tier base. Experts believe -- from the physical proportion and the shape of robe folds -- that the statuette is a work of early Unified Silla (676-935). An inscription discovered at the sarira container where it had been stored strongly suggests that it was made before 692 when the container was enshrined in the pagoda built that year. The Buddha is now regarded as an important criterion regarding the study of Buddhist statues of Unified Silla.