• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
• /
• v.49 no.3
• /
• pp.240-252
• /
• 2019

Many of the historic plant specimens collected on the Korean Peninsula in the early twentieth century were lost during the Korean War, though some of them were deposited in the herbarium of Tokyo University (TI) and thus remained unharmed. Data on historic Korean plant specimens at TI are very important given the lack of current data on North Korean plants. Moreover a number of unidentified Korean historic specimens are present at TI. We carried out an identification process and created a list of plants in a newly found collection held by Dr. Ikuma Yoichiro, a Japanese entomologist. He traveled from Cheongjin to Hyesanjin via Baekdu-san (Mt.) in August of 1913 and collected 240 species. We also secured one duplicate set.

• Journal of Korean Society of Archives and Records Management
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.41-75
• /
• 2004

This research discusses how to improve the current environment for record management in relation to the Revision of the Law of Record Management in South Korea. Three major issues are: 1) Legal status of the National Archives & Records Service of Korea as the government institution in charge of managing centrally records, 2) System for the education and training of professionals who specialize in record management, and 3) Foundation of the national museum and archives of records. Findings are as follows: First, the existing 'National Office of Records' as the government institution in charge of managing records, should be promoted to the 'National Archives & Records Service of Korea' in order to be administered by the class of a vice-minister in the Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs. Second, the qualification criteria which currently requires the Master's degree of Record Management, should be modified to include the Bachelor's degree in the field in order to expand the pool of professional human resources. Also, to hire the public officials for record management, either the positions of 'researcher/record manager group' should be created, or the existing positions of librarian, archivist, and record manager should be integrated into the new position of 'record culture group'. Third, the most significant task for the office of record management of local governments is to inherit and further develop the traditional culture and documentary legacy which are unique to those local communities and governments at various levels, and a priority should be given to those tasks. Therefore, when the Law of Record Management will be later revised, the establishment of the office of record management for local governments at every level should be required, and the museum and archives of records should be also established as a significant part of the institution. Unique local culture and history of particular communities should be collected and preserved in systematically specialized and differentiated ways in those institutions of record management, and the names should be uniquely given to the institutions according to the characteristics of local governments.

• MISULJARYO - National Museum of Korea Art Journal
• /
• v.98
• /
• pp.154-175
• /
• 2020

Most Korean Buddhist paintings from the late Joseon period were produced through collaborative projects (bulsa) between clans of Buddhist monks and monk artists (hwaseung), in which the monk clans would select themes and iconography for works that would then be produced by the artists and their school. Thus, any attempt to understand the Buddhist paintings of this period must consider not only the stylistic characteristics of the monk artists, but also the conditions at the respective temple at the time of production. Applying this methodology, this paper examines the collaboration between the Buhyu monk clan and the monk artist Uigyeom and his fellow artists (hereinafter, the "Uigyeom School") that took place in Honam (湖南) and surrounding areas in the eighteenth century. In particular, the paper reveals the strong influence that the Buhyu clan exerted on paintings that the Uigyeom School produced in 1724 and 1725 at Songgwangsa Temple, the clan's main temple. Following the paintings for Songgwangsa Temple, the Uigyeom School actively participated in similar projects at regional temples under the auspices of the Buhyu clan in Honam, Hoseo (湖西), and Yeongnam (嶺南). Consequently, the Buhyu clan granted Uigyeom several honorable titles-including "Hoseon" (毫仙), "Jonsuk" (尊宿), and "Daejeonggyeong" (大正經)-that were rarely conferred to a monk artist. Such acclaim helped Uigyeom's style of Buddhist painting to become widespread throughout the three southern provinces of Korea. The paintings for Songgwangsa Temple exemplify how the Buhyu clan and Uigyeom School collaborated to visualize the thoughts and philosophies of the Buhyu clan. For the Uigyeom School, this project served as the foundation for building the reputation and esteem of Uigyeom, who became one of the most esteemed and influential monk artists of the late Joseon period. As such, the paintings created for Songgwangsa Temple in 1724 and 1725 have great significance not only for Korean Buddhism, but also for art history in general.

• Bangmulgwan gwa yeongu (The National Museum of Korea Journal)
• /
• v.1
• /
• pp.174-197
• /
• 2024

Personal ornaments made from precious metals that have been excavated from tombs dating to the Maripgan period (4th-6th century) of the Silla Kingdom are a major subject of analysis in the study of gender and hierarchy among the tomb occupants. Nonetheless, bracelets had been neglected until Ha Daeryong's recent research on determining gender through bracelets attracted attention. Accordingly, an examination and organization of the fundamental elements of Silla bracelets was needed. In response, this paper examines their physical characteristics, appearance, changes over time, and related wearing practices. The data for this study is derived from 176 bracelets, mostly made from silver or gold. Copper and glass bracelets are also included. Many of them were cast in a single-use earthen mold. Even the notched and protruding designs were created by casting rather than carving. Glass bracelets and bracelets with dragon designs were made using molds with round cavities. Excluding those produced using metal sheets, the rest of the bracelets are thought to have been cast in a mold with a long-string-shaped cavity and then bent round. After being bent, the two ends were either soldered together (closed type) or left open (open type). As demonstrated in the study by Lee Hansang, Silla bracelets evolved from plain rounded rod-shaped bracelets, such as the one excavated from the Northern Mound of Hwangnamdaechong Tomb, to versions with notched designs, and eventually to those with protruding designs, which gained popularity by the sixth century. The precedents of plain rounded rod-shaped bracelets are presumed to have been thin rod-shaped bracelets from the Proto-Three Kingdoms period. Bracelets need to be fit to the wrists so that they do not slip off easily when worn. The open type design was the preferable way to achieve this. Moreover, given the ductility of gold, silver, and copper, it seems that it would have been possible to stretch or deform them. In the end, I concluded that even if a bracelet is too small to pass man's hand, the open type could have been worn. Furthermore, if a closed-type bracelet were pressed into an oval shape, it would not be impossible for a man to put it on. When bracelets are divided according to their degree of deformability into type A (the open type) through type D, which is almost impossible to deform, type A is commonly found with wearers of thin hollow earrings, and types C and D (which are difficult to deform) are not found with wearers of thin hollow earrings, but only with wearers of thick hollow earrings. Therefore, it can be seen that men were allowed to wear bracelets, and the existing studies that differentiate between men and women based on the wearing of thin hollow earrings, thick hollow earrings, and swords remain valid.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
• /
• v.52 no.1
• /
• pp.82-89
• /
• 2019

In this study observation records of the National Natural Environment Survey (2008-2012, 2014-2017) and the Korean Natural History Research Information System (KNHRIS) for the common kestrel (2013-2016) were consulted to determine the correlation of the distribution of kestrels in an area and the area's land use type. Distribution characteristics were studied based on data collected over the last 10 years (2008-2017). Findings show that the common kestrel is widely distributed between 4,407 sites registered in KNHRIS in the period of 2008-2012, 3,899 sites in 2014-2017, and 508 sites in 2013-2016. Relationship analysis was conducted for the altitude and urban planning factors of statistics based on a 2017 GIS check to determine the distribution characteristics. The birds' altitude was confirmed to range from 0 to 1,200 metersck but was most commonly observed at less than 100 meters. Above 200 meters, the rate of occurrence decreased rapidly. The rate of occurrence of the common kestrel was highest in Chungcheongnam-do province, followed by Gyeongsangbuk-do, Kyonggi-do, Jeollanam-do and Jeollabuk-do. As urban areas, green areas, commercial areas, and industrial areas the presence of swere positively correlated with the presence of kestrels, the rate of occurrence of the kestrel was higher in those regions. However, there was no significant relationship between the incidence of kestrels and housing construction or residential areas.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
• /
• v.57 no.1
• /
• pp.38-51
• /
• 2024

Although the bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) is a crop with a cultivation history of about 10,000 years in the Old and New Worlds, archaeological considerations on the cultivation and use of bottle gourds on the Korean Peninsula are extremely rare. Accordingly, we reviewed previous reports on bottle gourds and examined the morphological characteristics of seeds and rind fragments from the Korean Peninsula. The investigation yielded several conclusions. First, bottle gourd cultivation likely began during the Bronze Age alongside the introduction of so-called southern crops. Evidence suggests that bottle gourd remains were more prevalent during the Three-Kingdoms period, indicating its significance as a crop during the historical era. Second, bottle gourd seeds from the Three-Kingdoms period exhibit characteristics of both African and Asian subspecies, showcasing a high level of morphological diversity. Third, rind thickness indicates that bottle gourds found at the Bongseon-ri site were of varieties with large fruits. Taken together, it is concluded that the bottle gourd was introduced to the Korean Peninsula during the Bronze Age, and people cultivated a range of bottle gourd varieties during the Three-Kingdoms period.

• Conservation Science in Museum
• /
• v.27
• /
• pp.147-164
• /
• 2022

Over 200,000 Korean cultural heritage items are currently located abroad. They have made their way to 22 countries under different circumstances and with unique backgrounds. While some of them continue to contribute to promoting Korean culture around the world, others cannot be exhibited due to damage or poor condition. In view of these circumstances, the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation (OKCHF) has since 2013 provided museums and art galleries abroad with support for the conservation, restoration, and utilization of the Korean cultural heritage items that they house. As a part of these efforts and on the occasion of the 120th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship between the Republic of Korea and the Kingdom of Belgium in 2021, a gilt-bronze case for acupuncture needles dating to the Goryeo period (918-1392) from the collection of the Royal Museums of Art and History (RMAH), Belgium was brought to Korea for conservation treatment. The primary purpose of this conservation treatment was to restore the original form of the relic and slow to the degree possible the progress of corrosion. The conservation treatment of the gilt-bronze case followed the fundamental order of conservation treatment: removal of corrosive substances, stabilization, and reinforcement. Since this was the first case of restoring metallic cultural properties under the abovementioned support program by the OKCHF, special methodologies distinct from those available in overseas institutions were required. Diverse scientific methods (e.g., X-ray inspection, CT scanning, 3D microscopy) were applied to identify the metalcraft techniques used in the Goryeo period. The analysis found that several designs, including lotus and scrollwork, were exquisitely engraved on the surface of the case by making dots using a round-edged chisel. A bronze plate engraved with designs was rolled into a cylindrical form. The ends were overlapped by 2 to 3 centimeters and then attached to each other by silver soldering. The overlapping ends were welded flat with nearly no gaps. As the final process in the production, the case was lavishly gilt with gold powder using amalgam gilding. The conservation treatment of the gilt-bronze case for acupunctural needles in the RMAH collection restored the original form of the relic and arrested further corrosion. Above all, it revived the historic and academic value of the overseas Korean cultural heritage through scientific analysis.

• Conservation Science in Museum
• /
• v.29
• /
• pp.133-152
• /
• 2023

This study references preceding studies to examine the history of paint application techniques using various paints in the past, with the aim to contribute to the long-term preservation of large military cultural heritage assets situated outdoors. To this end, the study compared the findings of preceding research with the findings of an analysis conducted on a H-13 helicopter housed at the War Memorial of Korea. Upon collecting and analyzing samples from three grounded WWII aircraft from above-ground by preceding studies, it was confirmed from each sample that the various chemical properties of chrome ensured the effectiveness of the protective coating. The compound was first tested as a corrosion-inhibiting pigment in the early 1940s and proved its excellent moisture-resistant properties over the course of 80 years, despite the deterioration of the paint layer and long-term exposure to the natural environment. For this reason, it has been widely used as a corrosion inhibitor for aluminum alloys in the aviation industry. In other word, the most widely-used material for preventing corrosion was an organic primer containing chromate. In this study, based on the paint analysis of a H-13 helicopter operated in the Korean War, it was shown that the second layer, consisting of the primer, contains chromium oxide (Cr₂O₃). In addition, it was estimated that red lead tetraoxide (Pb₃O₄) was used for the vehicle. Analysis results and data from previous studies can help to confirm the continued effectiveness of corrosion prevention function provided by chromate. Meanwhile, the result of infrared spectroscopy analysis confirmed the use of alkyd resin. In the future, comparisons with a more diverse range of artifacts will allow the identification of changes in the manufacturing technology of paints used to protect alloys from corrosion.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
• /
• v.50 no.4
• /
• pp.4-19
• /
• 2017

Kim Jeong-gi (pen-name: Changsan, Mar. 31, 1930 - Aug. 26, 2015) made a major breakthrough in the history of cultural property excavation in Korea: In 1959, he began to develop an interest in cultural heritage after starting work as an employee of the National Museum of Korea. For about thirty years until he retired from the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage in 1987, he devoted his life to the excavation of our country's historical relics and artifacts and compiled countless data about them. He continued striving to identify the unique value and meaning of our cultural heritage in universities and excavation organizations until he passed away in 2015. Changsan spearheaded all of Korea's monumental archeological excavations and research. He is widely known at home and abroad as a scholar of Korean archeology, particularly in the early years of its existence as an academic discipline. As such, he has had a considerable influence on the development of Korean archeology. Although his multiple activities and roles are meaningful in terms of the country's archaeological history, there are limits to his contributions nevertheless. The Deoksugung Palace period (1955-1972), when the National Museum of Korea was situated in Deoksugung Palace, is considered to be a time of great significance for Korean archeology, as relics with diverse characteristics were researched during this period. Changsan actively participated in archeological surveys of prehistoric shell mounds and dwellings, conducted surveys of historical relics, measured many historical sites, and took charge of photographing and drawing such relics. He put to good use all the excavation techniques that he had learned in Japan, while his countrywide archaeological surveys are highly regarded in terms of academic history as well. What particularly sets his perspectives apart in archaeological terms is the fact that he raised the possibility of underwater tombs in ancient times, and also coined the term "Haemi Culture" as part of a theory of local culture aimed at furthering understanding of Bronze Age cultures in Korea. His input was simply breathtaking. In 1969, the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage (NRICH) was founded and Changsan was appointed as its head. Despite the many difficulties he faced in running the institute with limited financial and human resources, he gave everything he had to research and field studies of the brilliant cultural heritages that Korea has preserved for so long. Changsan succeeded in restoring Bulguksa Temple, and followed this up with the successful excavation of the Cheonmachong Tomb and the Hwangnamdaechong Tomb in Gyeongju. He then explored the Hwangnyongsa Temple site, Bunhwangsa Temple, and the Mireuksa Temple site in order to systematically evaluate the Buddhist culture and structures of the Three Kingdoms Period. We can safely say that the large excavation projects that he organized and carried out at that time not only laid the foundations for Korean archeology but also made significant contributions to studies in related fields. Above all, in terms of the developmental process of Korean archeology, the achievements he generated with his exceptional passion during the period are almost too numerous to mention, but they include his systematization of various excavation methods, cultivation of archaeologists, popularization of archeological excavations, formalization of survey records, and promotion of data disclosure. On the other hand, although this "Excavation King" devoted himself to excavations, kept precise records, and paid keen attention to every detail, he failed to overcome the limitations of his era in the process of defining the nature of cultural remains and interpreting historical sites and structures. Despite his many roles in Korean archeology, the fact that he left behind a controversy over the identity of the occupant of the Hwangnamdaechong Tomb remains a sore spot in his otherwise perfect reputation.

• MISULJARYO - National Museum of Korea Art Journal
• /
• v.100
• /
• pp.50-80
• /
• 2021

This paper critically examines the history of the theories connected to the Wongaksa Temple Pagoda that have developed over the last 100 years focusing on the original number of stories the pagoda would have reached. Part II of this paper retraces the dynamic process of the rediscovery of the Wongaksa Temple Pagoda by Westerners who traveled to Korea during the port-opening period. Koreans at the time viewed the Wongaksa Temple Pagoda as an object of no particular appeal or even as an eyesore. However, Westerners appreciated it as a wonder or magnificent sight. Since these Westerners had almost no prior knowledge of Buddhist pagodas, they were able to write objective travelogues. At the time, these visitors generally accepted the theory common among Joseon intellectuals that Wongaksa Temple Pagoda once had thirteen stories. Part III focuses on Japanese government-affiliated scholars' academic research on the Wongaksa Temple Pagoda after the proclamation of the Korean Empire and the Japanese Government-General of Korea's subsequent management of the pagoda as a cultural property during the colonial era. It also discusses issues with Japanese academic research and management. In particular, this portion sheds light on the shift in theories about the original number of stories of the Wongaksa Temple Pagoda from the ten-story theory supported by Sekino Tadashi (關野 貞), whose ideas have held a great influence on this issue over the last 100 years, to the thirteen-story theory and then to the idea that it had more than thirteen. Finally, Part IV addresses the change from the multi-story theory to the ten-story theory in the years after Korea's liberation from Japan until 1962. Moreover, it highlights how Korean intellectuals of the Japanese colonial era predominantly accepted the thirteen-story theory. Since 1962, a considerable quantity of significant research on the Wongaksa Temple Pagoda has been published. However, since most of these studies have applied the ten-story theory suggested in 1962, they are not individually discussed in this paper. This retracing of the history of theories about the Wongaksa Temple Pagoda has verified that although there are reasonable grounds for supporting the thirteen-story theory, it has not been proved in the last 100 years. Moreover, the number of pagoda stories has not been fully discussed in academia. The common theory that both Wongaksa Temple Pagoda and Gyeongcheonsa Temple Pagoda were ten-story pagodas was first formulated by Sekino Tadashi 100 years ago. Since the abrasion of the Wongaksa Temple Stele was so severe the inscriptions on the stele were almost illegible, Sekino argued that the Wongaksa Temple Pagoda was a ten-story pagoda based on an architectural analysis of the then-current condition of the pagoda. Immediately after Sekino presented his argument, a woodblock-printed version of the inscriptions on the Wongaksa Temple Stele was found. This version included a phrase that a thirteen-story pagoda had been erected. In a similar vein, the Dongguk yeoji seungnam (Geographic Encyclopedia of Korea) published by the orders of King Seongjong in the late fifteenth century documented that Gyeongcheonsa Temple Pagoda, the model for the Wongaksa Temple Pagoda, was also a thirteen-story pagoda. The Wongaksa Temple Stele erected on the orders of King Sejo after the establishment of the Wongaksa Temple Pagoda evidently shows that Sekino's ten-story premise is flawed. Sekino himself wrote that "as [the pagoda] consists of a three-story stereobate and a ten-story body, people call it a thirteen-story pagoda," although he viewed the number of stories of the pagoda body as that of the entire pagoda. The inscriptions on the Wongaksa Temple Stele also clearly indicate that the king ordered the construction of the Wongaksa Temple Pagoda as a thirteen-story pagoda. Although unprecedented, this thirteen-story pagoda comprised a ten-story pagoda body over a three-story stereobate. Why would King Sejo have built a thirteen-story pagoda in an unusual form consisting of a ten-story body on top of a three-story stereobate? In order to fully understand King Sejo's intention in building a thirteen-story pagoda, analyzing the Wongaksa Temple Pagoda is necessary. This begins with the restoration of its original name. I disprove Sekino's ten-story theory built upon flawed premises and an eclectic over-thirteen-story theory and urge applying the thirteen-story theory, as the inscriptions on the Wongaksa Temple Stele stated that the pagoda was originally built as a thirteen-story pagoda.