For about 1,100
won, one can ride the blue subway or Line #4.
Stop at Ichon, station number 430
.
Any day other
than Monday, one can enter the museum free-of-charge. In that the park surrounding the museum in
open 24x7, you can stop by the area anytime, at least for a stroll past 7th
century pagodas. The time chosen to
visit defines the wayfarer’s experience.
Choose between 10:00 am and 5:00
pm weekdays to experience the
never-ending stream of school children passing by thousand year-old relics; the
same period on weekends add the crush of families. Yet by choosing between 6 – 9 pm on Saturday
or 5 -7 pm on Sunday , one finds the museum magically transformed into a
private gallery, with time to stop, photograph then ponder what lives gave form
to miniature golden Buddhas during the 7th
century Three Kingdoms period. Had some
princess, with hair adorned with jade comma- or tear-shaped ornaments, wearing
a flowing silk robe commissioned the little relics?
Gaze upon the
grand painting “Mountains and Rivers without End”. Take a trip along the 18th century
Joseon countryside. Leave the sailboat
moored along a Yellow Sea, travel through the misty countryside, ascending pine
adorned mountains to where Sanshin, or
the ancient mountain spirit lives with his pet tiger.
While standing by this ornament, ponder at
what Shilla nobleman had once strolled through Gyeongju palaces wearing such a
grand gold crown. It has three tree-like
prongs – likely mountains – and two antler-like prongs. As he walked, the jade
tear drops danced and gold glttered, testifying to his political and social
status.
At the far-end of
a marble veneer promenade rises a ten-story marble pagoda from Gyeongcheonsa
Temple.It has been called
“Yakhwangtap pagoda,” because of its miraculous ability to cure disease. The
pagoda endured the twists of history. An inscription on the first story of the pagoda states that it was
erected in the fourth year of the reign of King Chungmok, which was 1348. The ordeal of this pagoda started during the
period of the Joseon Dynasty, when many Buddhist statues were damaged due to
superstitions and government policies that made restrictions on Buddhist
practices. Japanese invaders in 1907 whisked this treasure away to Japan, only
to return it 11 years later, given
pressures of media attention and public outcry.
My favorites are the collection of Buddhas
including a towering iron Buddah cast in the 10th century. Many a
monk during the Goryeo Dynasty pondered the concept of dharma here.
“Gilt-bronze
Pensive Bodhisattva with Lotus Crown” is a national treasure. The pensive bodhisattva is posed with its
right leg crossed over its left knee, while its right hand touches its cheek,
in deep meditation. The origin of Buddha statues of this style is the figure of
Prince Siddhartha in contemplation pondering the four phases of life (birth,
old age, sickness, and death).
Interested in finding out more about the National Museum of
Korea? Visit the site: http://www.museum.go.kr/main/index/index002.jsp or see more pictures at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/karl_wolfgang/sets/72157625245872797/