• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.319-331
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• 2018

The collection of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, features a sansu folding screen that was created in 1940 to commemorate the sixtieth birthday of Soseok Kang Jin-Koo. It was created by six oriental painters, who were among the ten best painters in that era. The folding screen has been previously repaired and restored; however, owing to damage such as twisting of its wooden frame, abrasion, and moisture stains, rigorous conservation treatment is required. Hence, scientific research was conducted to analyze the textile, paper and pigments employed while creating the folding screen, to identify the associated material properties. Results showed that the textile used in the screen's picture and janghwang comprise synthetic fibers and natural fibers such as cotton and silk. Various types of papers were used in the folding screen, such as those from mulberry, herbaceous, and coniferous fibers. Furthermore, calcite deposits were found on the base of every picture, and certain colors employed by the artists appear to be produced from different pigments.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.80-85
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• 1998

The structure, dimensions, condition and other characteristics of the Koryo Buddhist Canon (the Koreana Tripitaka) Printing Wood Blocks stored at the Haein-sa Monastery were surveyed to obtain basic data needed for the conservation of the Wood Blocks. The dimensions of the Wood Blocks Were measured and we could figured out the blueprint designed at the time of the carving the Wood Blocks. The dimensions of the wooden board were as follows: width, 8'chi'('cun' in Chinese, 24 cm);thickness, 1 'chi' (3 cm); length, 2'cha' ('chi' in Chinese) and 3 'chi' (68 cm) or 2 'cha' and 6 'chi' (78 cm). The dimensions of the end pieces were as follows: width, 1 'chi' and 5 'fun' (4.5 cm; thickness, 1 'chi' and 4 'fun' (4 cm); length, 8 'chi' and 2-4 'fun' (24.6-25.2 cm). There were 6 types of metal strips and the length of the nails employed was 1 'chl' (3 cm). Investigation on the differences in the length of the wood Blocks and the shapes of the metal strips will be of interest. Since we surveyed only small portion of the Wood Blocks. the result may be different if entire Wood Blocks were examined. The data acquisition of the entire Wood Blocks will be the basis to the conservation of the Wood Blocks.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.246-263
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• 2019

The stone Buddha statue of Sangunsa Temple at Bukhansan in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, is an excellent example of stone Buddha statues created in the late 15th century. On the base of the figure, there is an inscription, which informs that it was produced in 1497. In recognition of this significance, it was recently designated as a tangible cultural asset in Gyeonggi-do. Thus, this paper tried to evaluate the value of the statue by analyzing iconography and style. The characteristics of a typical 15th-century style that the Buddha statue of Sangunsa Temple shows are the form of ushnisha, the way clothes are worn, the form of a w-shaped chest muscle, and the simple lotus pedestal. On the other hand, the elongation of the waist and the disappearance of the waistband on undergarments are new forms of Buddha statues in the 16th century. Besides, parting the hair in the middle of the head and leaf-shaped short ribbon draped on undergarments are unique features that only appear on the statue of Sangunsa Temple. Sangunsa has been known to be built in the early 18th century based on Bukanji compiled by Seongneung in 1745, and Bongeunbonmalsaji composed in 1943. However, the statue was created in the late 15th century, before the establishment of the temple in the early 18th century. Therefore, this paper briefly reviewed the history of Sangunsa Temple, focusing on the initial period, referring to the historical sites and the relics that were passed on to the temple, as well as the literature records. The data newly referred to in the study are as follows: Sangunsa Stone Pagoda, presumed to be from the Goryeo Dynasty; the Stone Buddha Statue of Sangunsa; Wooden Amita Triad Buddha Statue of Sangunsa. According to the data and contrary to previously-held beliefs, Sangunsa Temple is believed to have been operating since the Goryeo Dynasty. It can be inferred through analysis of the stone Buddha statue of Sangunsa Temple that the size of the Temple before the 18th century was not very large.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.242-253
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• 2020

Six ornamental metal quiver fittings were excavated from stone chamber No.1 of the ancient tombs of Jeongchon, Bokam-ri, Naju. The ornamental quiver fittings are metal, but the body of the quiver was made of organic material, so that it corroded and disappeared in the burial environment. The ornamental metal quiver fittings were made in pairs, and decorated one quiver according to the location they were found in and their forms. The ornamental metal quiver fitting can be divided into two types: A band style ornament (帶輪狀金具) which decorates the arrow pouch, and a board style ornament (板狀金具) which decorates the board connecting the waist belt. Two ornamental metal quiver fittings excavated from wooden coffin 2 of stone chamber No.1, were made in the band style, while the ornamental metal quiver fittings from southeast of stone chamber No.1 were identified as two boardstyle ornaments and two band-style ornaments for what was presumed to be belt loops. Material analysis of the ornamental metal quiver fittings shows that they are made of a gilt bronze plate attached to an iron plate, and the surface is marked with a speck of chisel to make lines and patterns. Chemical composition analysis (XRF) established that 24~40wt% Au and 50~93wt% Cu were detected on the gold surface, and it was confirmed that bronze corrosion had taken place on the gilt surface. SEM-EDS analysis of the gold plating layer identified a working line for glossing, and 7~9wt% Hg and an amalgam of gilt layers was detected, confirming the amalgam gilding. CT and FT-IR analysis established that the band style was double-layered with silk fabric under the iron plate, and there was also a lacquer piece underneath. The band-style ornaments have two layers of silk under the iron plate, along with lacquer pieces. Adding the fabric to the arrow pouch increases adhesion and decorative value. It is assumed that the lacquer pieces indicate that the surface of the lacquered arrow pouch had fallen together with the ornaments. On the other hand, the board-style ornaments have a thick layer of organic matter under the iron plate, but this is difficult to identify and appears to be a remnant of the quiver board. The characteristics of these ornamental metal quiver fittings were similar in Baekje, Silla, and Gaya cultures from the late 4th to the late 5th centuries, and enable us to identify the art of ancient gold craftwork at that time.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.64-87
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• 2020

Copper trihydroxychloride (atacamite, botallackite, paratacamite, etc.), the first green pigment used in Mogao Grotto's mural paintings of China, has been known as "copper green", "green salt", and "salt green", etc. and has been used as an important green pigment with malachite. At first, the natural mineral atacamite was employed, but after the Five Dynasties (907~960 CE), synthetic copper trihydroxychloride was primarily used. In Chinese literature, copper green, green salt, and salt green are recorded as being made via reaction with copper powder, Gwangmyeongyeom (natural sodium chloride), and Yosa (natural ammonium chloride), and the prepared material was analyzed to be copper trihydroxychloride. Copper trihydroxychloride pigment was not found in paintings prior to the Joseon Dynasty (1392~1910 CE) in Korea. In analysis of the green pigments used in paintings and the architectural paintworks in the Joseon Dynasty, copper trihydroxychloride was also shown to have been used as an important green pigment with malachite (Seokrok). In particular, the proportion of copper trihydroxychloride use was high in Buddhist paintings, shamanic paintings, and dancheongs (decorative coloring on wooden buildings). Some of these turned out to be synthetic copper trihydroxychloride, but it is unclear whether the rest of them are synthetic or natural pigments due to a lack of analyzed data. From literature and painting analyses, the pigment name of copper trihydroxychloride in the Joseon Dynasty turns out to be Hayeob, a dark green pigment. It is believed to have first been prepared by learning from China in the early Joseon period (early 15^th century) and its use continued until the late 19^th century with imported Chinese pigment. Round or oval particles with a dark core of copper trihydroxychloride which were used in Chinese literature were similar to the synthetic copper trihydroxychloride pigments used in the Joseon Dynasty and Chinese paintings. Therefore, the synthetic copper trihydroxychloride pigments of Korea and China are believed to have been prepared in a similar way.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.190-205
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• 2016

Buddhist stupas, which are a symbolic architecture of Buddhism and enshrine the Jinsinsari of Buddha, were reinvented as stone stupas appropriate for the natural soil of Korea from existing wooden stupas around the 7th century after the introduction of Buddhism. Later, the construction of a stone stupa was expanded to local areas from the central area around the 9th century; thus, stone stupas of more diverse local colors were built in a nationwide scale, and today it is called a "country of stone stupas". While focusing on the stylistic interchanges between stone stupas, which were established in each region in accordance with the localization of the establishment of stone stupas that was begun actively from the 9th century, this paper selected several cases of stone stupas among about 50 stone stupas in the Gangwondo-region. First, the study compared the stone stupas and Buddhist priest tower of Seollimwonji, Jinjeonsaji, and Geodonsaji, which are located at the same temple site as the current Buddhist priest tower, from among typical Silla style stupas that match the 9 stone stupas in the Gangwon-do region. This is because stylistic interchanges were possible while there were mutually organic relationships between Buddhist statues such as stone stupas, Buddhist priest towers, stone lanterns, and Buddhist pedestals, which used the same stone material along with the expansion of Buddhism to local areas in accordance with the spread of Zen Buddhism in the 9th century. Second, a comparison was made of the stylistic similarities between the Woljeongsa Palgakgucheong (eight sides nine-storied) stone stupa and the Sinboksaji Samcheung (three-storied) stone stupa, which are totally different in regard to the number of stories and the flat form. These two stone stupas are representative Goryeo stone stupas. The Woljeongsa stone stupa is a Goguryeo-oriented stone stupa with many sided multiple stories whereas the Sinboksaji stone stupa has been known as an early case of the insertion of the support of Tapsin in each story. Although the two stone stupas may look very different, but through close investigation it was confirmed that there were many stylistic interchanges between them and not only the seated stone Buddha statue in the cylinder jewel case in front of the stupa but also the stone stupa established by the same master. Consequently, this paper aimed not merely to mention the simple patterns of stone stupas, but, further, to trace the interchange in patterns in accordance with the construction period based on those patterns.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.292-307
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• 2019

Buddhists have always tended to adorn and embellish Buddhist statues and their surrounding spaces in order to exhibit the grandeur and sublime nature of the Buddha. The various kinds of splendid instruments and implements used in such ornamentation are collectively called jangeomgu in Korean. Thus, the term jangeomgu encompasses articles used to decorate Buddhist statues, halos, and baldachin, as well as Buddhist banners and wind chimes, which are generally hung outside a building. Wind chimes are still widely used at Buddhist temples. In China, judging from various structures such as the Wooden Stupa of Yongningsi in Luoyang and the Dunhuang Caves, wind chimes began to be used around the sixth century. As for Korea, Buddhism was first introduced from China during the Three Kingdoms Period, and Koreans accordingly began to build Buddhist temples and buildings. It would appear that wind chimes came to be used around the time that the first temples were built. The oldest extant wind chime in Korea is the gilt-bronze wind chime of Baekje, discovered at the Mireuksa Temple Site in Iksan. In general, Korean wind chimes dating from the Three Kingdoms Period are classified into two general types according to their shape and elevation, i.e., those shaped like a Buddhist bell and those shaped like a trapezoid. As these two forms of wind chimes have influenced each other over time, those made during the Goryeo dynasty, having inherited the style, structure, and design of the preceding period, display such features. At the same time, the artisans who produced wind chimes pursued technical development and adopted free, yet not extravagant, designs. In particular, Goryeo wind chimes are characterized by original designs created through exchanges with other Buddhist art forms of the same period, such as the embossed lotus design band of Goryeo bells; the bullmun design, which served to display the grandeur of the royal family; the samhwanmun design, which consisted of decorating the interior of a Goryeo incense burner with three holes; Sanskrit designs; and designs inspired by the windows and doors of stone pagodas. In this way, the production of Goryeo wind chimes developed with a focus on purpose while being free of formal constraints. This study started out from the fact that the largest number of Korean wind chimes were produced during the Goryeo dynasty. Therefore, research on wind chimes should be based on those of the Goryeo dynasty, especially since fewer relevant studies have been conducted compared to studies on other forms of Buddhist art. For the purposes of this study, the reasons for the production of wind chimes will be examined first, followed by an examination of the various styles of Korean wind chimes. Then, based on the findings of this investigation, the development and characteristics of the wind chimes produced during the Goryeo dynasty will be explored for each period.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.280-301
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• 2021

Chogak has been regarded as originating from the paintings decorating building elements. Various curved shape drawings that were first seen in the paintings of Goguryeo tomb murals evolved into the vine patterned Dancheong of Geuklakjeon in Bongjeongsa. Cheomcha of Geuklakjeon was chiseled with Yeonhwadusik relievo at the bottom on top of Dancheong, and this was the beginning of Cheomcha-Chogak. Also, Cheomcha, which was carved with a preliminary vine patterned Chogak in Daeungjeon in Bongjeongsa, opened the era of engraving Chogak directly on the surface of structural elements. Since then, vine patterned Chogak was a significant decoration technique for the Cheomcha of traditional wooden construction for a long time. Because Jeongjagak is a structure that was continuously built between the end of the Japanese invasion of Korea in 1592 and the late Joseon Dynasty, the transition of Cheomcha-Chogak over time can be seen through Jeongjagak architecture. The early Cheomcha-Chogak presents stems that climb up (Upbound-type) towards the headpiece on a column, while stems of Chogak later reversed direction to descend (Downbound-type) from the headpiece. This study examined the transition process and reasons for the change, with a focus on the findings above, and identified a new type of Chogak that is unrelated to the direction type and was adopted during the transition from Upbound-type to Downbound-type. The new type appeared when the Jeongjagaks for the Royal Tomb of Kyeongjo and those of the Injo were built, and it matches with the transitional period wherein lotus vanishes from Hwaban-Chogak. The study also inferred that the direction change of Cheomcha-Chogak stems was caused by the separation of vine patterned Chogak, carved with a two-stepped inner Ikgon, into both upward and downward from the headpiece, and this led to the changes that manifested as the inside of Choikgong being the Downbound-type Chogak and the variegated vine patterned Chogak of Choikgong affecting the direction of Cheomcha-Chogak. This is the follow-up study of "A Study on the Hwaban-Chogak of the Neungwon-Jeongjagak," a paper published in 2018, and is limited in n that Cheomcha, the focus of the research, is just one of the construction elements of Jeongjagak. The entirety ofChogak cannot be understood only by observing Cheomcha.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.132-150
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• 2022

Designated as a national intangible cultural asset, the fish weir is a traditional fishing method and was a leading fishing tool in Korean coastal fishery. As the littoral sea area fishing vessel fishery developed since the 1970s, traditional fishing methods including fish weirs began to decline. The fish weir has been passed down in the form of tools such as fish weirs, stone weirs, and bamboo weirs. In Namhae-gun and Sacheon City in Gyeongsangnam-do, anchovies are caught using bamboo weirs. A basic bamboo weir consists of a fish trap(balgong), a space where fish gather together, and a V- or U-shaped wooden fence(halgaji) that helps fish come inside the fish trap. Its fishing method is to catch fish that have come to the coast during high tide alongside those are stuck inside fish traps(balgong) with nets or scoop nets. This paper examined the process of passing down traditional fishing methods through a comparative analysis of the bamboo weir structures and fishing methods in the Namhae and Sacheon regions. First, the historical process of assembling the current bamboo weir structure was analyzed. The bamboo weir, a fishing tool, appears to have combined the features of past weirs and fish weirs based on the Jijok Strait and Samcheonpo Strait. Next, this paper examined the structure and fishing method of the two types of bamboo weirs made with a circular or square fish trap(balgong) where fish gather. Through this analysis, this study examined the lives of fishermen who have adapted to their natural environment and actively utilized obtainable resources(materials), and then changed the traditional fishing method of bamboo weirs and developed them into an appropriate technology. Lastly, a new value attributed to anchovies caught using bamboo weirs was analyzed. This new value extracted from better bamboo weir anchovies works as a mechanism to uphold the tradition of anchovy-catching bamboo-weir fishing, which produces a smaller amount of anchovies compared to other methods of anchovy fishing. In this way, bamboo weir fishing has been passed down as a result of its differentiated aspect of producing better anchovies than those produced with other fishing methods, as well as the historical aspect of it being a traditional fishing method.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.160-175
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• 2013

There is the need to make a sharp distinction as regards JANGSEUNGs (Korean traditional totem poles) that are different in origin, history and function. This study is to identify the functions of the figures, as well as to trace stone JANGSEUNGs to their origins. In this regard, researched were conducted into the origins of JANGSEUNGs and their changes in history. There was a tradition in the GORYEO Dynasty (an ancient dynasty in the Korean Peninsula) that it erected JANGSAENGs (the archaic name of JANGSEUNGs) or allied stone figures within temples; especially, 'TONGDOSA GUKJANGSAENG SEOKPYO (a stone JANGSAENG that was erected by the royal command and is at the entrance of TONGDO Temple located in YANGSAN, South GYEONGSANG Province, South Korea)' functions as a stone monument rather than as a stone sign. In the engraved inscription, it is written that it should be erected in the form of PANA as before. 'PANA' refers to 'ZHONGKUI', a god in Chinese Taoism believed to exorcise devils that spread diseases. The inscription is to define the territory of TONGDO Temple. The article on HAN JUN GYEOM in a book 'WORAKGI (a travelogue on WORAK Mountain in North CHUNGCHEONG Province, South Korea)' written by HEO MOK makes it possible to guess the scale of GUKJANGSAENGs erected in DOGAP Temple. The stones, on which 'GUKJANGSAENG' or 'HWANGJANGSAENG' were engraved, are not JANGSAENGs but are demarcation posts. In the JOSEON Dynasty (the last dynasty in the Korean Peninsula) JANGSAENGs functioned as signposts. Unlike JANGSAENGs in temples, they were made of wood. At first, the word 'JANGSAENG' was written '長生' in Chinese characters, but in the JOSEON Dynasty another character '木 (wood)' was added to them, and thus the orthography was likely to change into 'JANGSEUNG.' In the JOSEON Dynasty, in addition, optative or geomantic figures were not called 'JANGSEUNG.' Historically, for instance, there has been no case where 'DOL HARBANGs (stone figures found only in JEJU ISLAND, South Korea)' are called 'JANGSEUNG.' In a book 'TAMRA GINYEON (a historical record on JEJU Island, South Korea)' it is written that KIM MONG GYU, JEJU governor, erected ONGJUNG Stones outside the fortress gate. ONGJUNG Stones usually refer to stone statues erected in front of ancient kings or dignitaries' mausoleums. Moreover, they were geomantic figures erected to suppress miasma. A magazine 'GWANGJUEUPJI (a journal on old GWANGJU, South Korea, 1899)' shows that two two ONGJUNG Stones were so erected that they might look at each other to suppress miasma from a pathway through which lucks lose. On the two stone figures located in BUAN-EUP, North JEOLLA Province, South Korea, inscriptions 'SANGWON JUJANGGUN' and 'HAWON DANGJANGGUN' were engraved. The words are to identify the figures' sexes. They are a kind of optative geomantic figures, and therefore there is no reason to call them 'JANGSAENG' or 'JANGSEUNG' or 'DANGSAN.' The words 'SANGWON' and 'HAWON' are closely associated with Taoism. Since then, the words have been widely used as inscriptions on stone figures in temples, and subsequently are used for JANGSEUNGs. A hatted ONGJUNG Stone, found in BUKANSAN Fortress, disappeared and other ones may be being buried somewhere. Meanwhile, ONGJUNG Stones in JEJU Island and stone figures in BUAN-EUP have hardly been displaced and thus have properly functioned. Stone figures, made in those days, seem to be most similar in function to JANGSAENGs made during the GORYEO Dynasty. Specifically, like earlier JANGSAENGs, stone figures made during the early to mid-18th century were likely to function not only as optative figures but as boundary stones. Most of stone figures in temples were made whenever the land use survey was conducted throughout the nation, but given that at the same period of time, the commonalty filed many lawsuits against grave sites, temples might erect many stone figures to mark their territories. Currently, wooden or stone figures are commonly called 'JANGSEUNG', but they were erected in different epochs and for different reasons. Their origins are to be sought in stone figures that functioned not only as optative figures in temples but as boundary stones during the GORYEO Dynasty.