[한국의 유물 전시] A peek into old Korea through treasures

2009.12.19

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One of the best ways to really get to know someone is to visit their home.

The same trick works when a person wants to learn about a country or a certain dynasty - looking closely at its things helps. Two Korean museums are currently hosting special exhibitions showcasing the cultural assets of old Korea - Joseon, Goryeo and Unified Silla.

For example, during the Joseon dynasty, two major wars broke out - one against Japan in 1592, and another one against Cheong China in 1636 - which had a great impact on the nation and brought about a slew of changes in people's lives.

The exhibition "Joseon Porcelain with Iron Painting," underway now at GyeongGi Cultural Foundation in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, examines Joseon's social changes through porcelain. A total of 100 ceramics with iron paintings are exhibited.

This particular type of porcelain was treated with disdain before the 17th century for being cheap and rough. Wanting to possess something beautiful and luxurious, people at that time yearned for white porcelain decorated with cobalt-based blue decoration.

Following the war the situation changed. Unable to produce expensive porcelain, people turned to pieces with iron-based glazes. In fact, as even the royal family started to use them one by one, it became the new trend.

"The porcelain with iron glazes contain the will of the Joseon people to focus more on utility than sumptuousness," explained Jang Ki-hoon, curator of the exhibition.

The National Museum of Korea in Ichon-dong, Seoul, invites visitors into the royal palace of Goryeo, which was filled with ceramics that were extravagant yet noble. The exhibition "The Royal Ceramics of Goryeo Dynasty" displays about 300 ceramics used in the palace during the 12th and 13th century.

Surprisingly, some fragments of the ceramics were not found in royal palaces but in stoves in distant spots. By matching up the pieces with the ones found in the palace, the excavation team found out that those spots were where the ceramics were produced. A celadon bottle in the shape of a melon - National Treasure No. 94 - is one of them.

Among the exhibits, the ceramics found in the tomb of Injong - the 17th king of Goryeo - are introduced through this exhibition for the first time.

"They are valuable assets which will help research not only on ceramics but also on society in the 12th century as a whole," said Kang Gyeong-nam, curator of the exhibition.

Moving even further back to the past, the museum also holds an exhibition "Echoes of Life: The Enduring Tradition of Unified Silla Sculpture," showcasing more than 200 sculptures, including some national treasures. Some of the exhibits were brought from Tokyo National Museum, Nara National Museum, and Kyushu National Museum in Japan. Unified Silla's sculptures emit an international flavor.

"Recognizing its international position in the global stage, it (Silla) opened itself to other cultures while maintaining its own creative appreciation," said Choe Kwang-shik, director-general of the museum at the exhibition's opening ceremony on Monday.

The exhibition is divided into six parts. The first four parts display sculptures from Unified Silla in a chronological order. National Treasures such as "Amitabha Buddha" can be found there.

The fifth part, "Guardians of the Dead - Tomb Sculptures," holds stone pagodas and the monkey figure of the 12 zodiac animals. Visitors can guess what the people of that time thought about the afterlife.

In the final division "Culmination of Artistic Spirit - Seokguram Grotto," a model of the grotto can be found. Designated as a World Heritage site by UNESCO, the Seokguram Grotto is an embodiment of the best artistic, scientific, and religious minds of the time.

"This Seokguram Grotto model is specially organized for children," said Heo Hyeong-wook, the curator. With sculpted rocks and pillars installed around the dome and the Buddha sitting in the middle, viewers will feel like they are in Mt. Tohamsan near Gyeongju, where the actual grotto is seated.

"Joseon Porcelain with Iron Painting" runs through Feb. 20 at GyeongGi Cultural Foundation in Suwon, south of Seoul. For more information, call (031) 231-7263 or visit www.ggcf.or.kr

"The Royal Ceramics of Goryeo Dynasty" runs through Feb. 15 and "Echoes of Life: the Enduring Tradition of Unified Silla Sculpture" until March 1 at National Museum of Korea in Ichon-dong in central Seoul. For more information, contact (02) 2077-9000 or visit www.museum.go.kr

By Park Min-young

(claire@heraldm.com)