User:SEHUN ZORA/sandbox

Description

The history of Korean sculpture dates to the Paleolithic Age, though no extant relics have been preserved, only documentary records. ^[1] In South Korea, the earliest extant examples of sculptures are some rock carvings on the Pan-gudae cliff in Ulsan, as well as some figurines of humans and animals in the Neolithic era. ^[1] Artifacts from the Bronze Age, were made from bronze, pottery and clay sculpture. ^[1]In 372 ADS with the introduction of Buddhism, Korean sculpture began to be dominated by Buddhist themes, such as small statues and giant statues of Buddha and his followers. ^[1]As Buddhism was introduced to Korea in 372 AD, Korean sculpture began to be dominated by Buddhist themes, such as figurines, giant Buddha statues and their followers.^[1]Korean sculptures from the Three Kindoms Period in the fourth century, going through Unified Silla, Goryeo Dynast to Josean dynast are all dominated by Buddhist sculptures (1392-1910) .^[1] With the aggressive expansion of the Asia-Pacific region, Korean sculpture has begun to modernize, with various themes commemorating heroes as the creative form. ^[2] Sculpture as a cultural heritage created by the people of this country will bring us to understand the new decline of their civilization. ^[2]

Folk Arts

Totem pole was a representative folk sculpture during the Silla Kingdom period, It was called a jangseung (changsung) or village guardian. ^[3] Its shape is an elongated cylinder, usually made of pine and chestnut tree trunks, about 10 feet tall. ^[3] A small part of the area will also use stones to make changsung, such as Jeolla. It will also sculpt the shape of a person on wood, with bulging eyes, a big, bulbous nose, snaggle teeth, a long beard. ^[3]There are no two totem poles that look the same. Changsung is usually decorated with inscriptions. Carved figures of different genders will have different inscriptions. ^[3]On the one hand, male Changsung usually has the words "Guardian of the world Below" engraved in Korean or Chinese characters (Hangul: 천하 대장군, Hanja: world general), and decorated with similar Headdress worn by Korean nobles or scholars. ^[3] ,Women Changsung wear fewer exquisite headdresses, usually engraved with the words "Guardian of the world Below" (Hangul: 지하 대장군, Hanja: Underground General).^[4]They are also commonly thought of in terms of the guardians of heaven and earth. ^[4]At the same time, the sinewy shape of the crooked pine tree adds to the totem pole ’s intimidating look. ^[3] As a result, villagers will place changsung in pairs on the ground at the entrance of the village to mark the village boundary and scare away demons. ^[3]They are also used as tools for worshipping gods in the countryside. Women will place some rice cake, rice wine, or dried fish at the feet of the poles. ^[3]All in all, this sculpture shape and name reflect Buddhist, Confucian, Taoist, or animist beliefs and the artistic touch of their maskers, even many disappeared after the arrival of Christianity in Korea in the 19th century. Some of the rural villages still have changsung.^[3]

Buddhist Sculpture

Buddhism was introduced to the Korean Peninsula in 372 ADS by the influence of Chinese monk envoys. ^[5] They played a key role in spreading the religion to the three kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla in the fourth to sixth centuries.^[5]Buddhism became an influential political, religious, and cultural power. ^[6] The types of sculptures range from large public display and worship icons to small statues for private devotion. The materials are mainly wood, lacquer, metal, clay, and stone. ^[6]Some private small Buddha statues will be carved with bronze and granite because granite is the most abundant carving material in Korea. ^[6]For example, during the Three Kingdoms period, the unearthed gold and bronze standing Bodhisattva is now collected in the National Museum of Korea. ^[6]

Three Kingdoms Period (traditionally 57 BCE- 5^th centuries)

During the three kingdoms of South Korea (57 BC). The main style of Korean buddha sculpture borrows from the style of northern China while blending with a sense of locality. ^[5]For example, sculptural figures will focus on the frontal pose, the flared edges of the clothes, and the flame-like decoration on the halo. It is mainly dominated by siting sculptures of meditation. ^[5]For example, Ttukseom Buddha is the earliest Buddha statue in Korea. Its history can be traced back to the end of the 4th century or the beginning of the 5th century, about 400 years. ^[6]Gilded bronze statue, 5 cm high, with a Buddha statue sitting on a rectangular platform. There are two lions on the left and right sides of the platform. ^[6]Also, the Buddha used meditation gestures, his hands were locked and rested on his knees, showing a soft roundness and a static nature.^[6]

Silla Period (668-935)

The Buddhist sculptures of the unified Silla period (668–935) reflected the integration of Buddhist cultures in different regions of the world at that time. ^[5] The sculptural form of Buddhist sculptures began to show the feminine figure from the most rounded face and dreamy expression to some sculptures. Compared with the original hard and simple Buddhist sculpture Began to exude the spiritual strength and elegance of Buddha. This was the period when Buddhism had spanned East Asia, and religions in central and southern Asia were inextricably linked. ^[5]

Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392)

By the time of the Goryeo Dynasty (918–1392) the quantity and quality of sculptures had declined. In terms of style, the traditional Korean style of sculptural style was obtained, and iron was used to cast sculptures. This is a media that has never been used since the late Silla Uniform. (Chong & Smith, 1998, p137-159) The images of these cast irons were plastered and painted. The form of the Buddha statue often directly replicates the Unified Silla model of the 8th century. (Chong & Smith, 1998, p137-159)

Josepn Dynasty (1392-1910)

Then came the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910). Buddhism began to be completely corrupted under the influence of China ’s Ming Dynasty politics. Instead, Confucianism became the state religion, which influenced the ideological, moral, and aesthetic standards of South Korea. Therefore, the government's use of Buddhism during this period was minimal. ^[5]During the colonial period in 1592, Japan invaded, and a large number of sculptures were lost or destroyed by Japan. ^[6]With the declaration of monks after the war, Buddhism began to rise slowly. Many temples and statues seen in South Korea are built after the 17th century and are still one of the important forms of Korean sculpture art.

Modern Sculpture

Most of the modern Korean sculptures during the Japanese colonial period were dominated by realistic busts, naked or clothed. ^[2] For example: the women created by Kim Bok Jim in 1925. ^[2] The sculpture depicts the poetic expression of Western sculpture, which is different from the fluid shape of its rough surface. ^[2]Successfully declared classicism and realism by using the proportion of Asian face and body to borrow the concept of European nudity. ^[2]

In the 1950s, with the end of the Korean War, a new generation of sculptors began to shake off Japanese influence. ^[2] In front of city parks, city streets and large-scale buildings, a large number of war monuments and monuments of historical figures have been established, totaling 150. ^[2] These commemorative architectural forms follow the Western model, essentially to praise heroism and inspiring. ^[2] For example, the sculpture of South Korean President Rhee Syngman in 1955 was once standing in the center of Seoul but was then demolished. Many works from this period have not been well preserved so far. ^[2] But it also represents the history of Korean sculpture and reflects the social atmosphere of that era.^[2]

In 1960, sculptures on animal subjects began to emerge. ^[2]The sculptor Kwon Jin-gyu made a horse sculpture in terracotta, called "Horse and Boy". The work features a horse with a head turned backwards, including a boy riding a horse. ^[2] The interaction between the horse and the rider is realistic and full of vitality.

Stone Sculpture

The tradition of ancient Korean funeral stone sculptures began with the unified Silla period (668–935). ^[7] Stone sculptures of this period, represented by royal funeral sculptures, appeared in the royal tomb of King Sŏngdŏk. Stone statues can be divided into two types. ^[7]The first group includes statues of military officials called mugwansang, contains statues of military officials that have a crown upon their heads, armor worn over a uniform, and a long sword held with both hands. ^[7] The second group known as muinsang is made up of warrior statues that feature roughly modeled faces and hold a club in their hands. ^[7]）Currently, only the first type can be found in the Sŏngdŏk cemetery. The statue of the Silla Dynasty officer has many characteristics, such as the presence of armor, hidden hands, and swords. ^[7] The stone statue of the Royal Tomb was not produced at the same time as the cemetery was built, but was commissioned by the successor of the person who was later buried.^[7] There are similarities between the statues of Sŏngdŏk and those of the ancient Tang Dynasty in China. The funeral stone carving tradition of North Korea can be traced back to the influence of China. ^[7] But there are also differences between the statues of each culture. The stone sculptures of the Silla Dynasty practiced their own aesthetics and eventually developed their own style. ^[7]

Architectural Sculpture

In Tapgol Park in Seoul, ten large Bas-relife sculptures made of bronze surround the park. ^[8]This park as the site of the origin of the March 1st Movement 1919. ^[8]The movement is the earliest and most extensive anti-Japanese movement in Korean. ^[8]The movement was finally suppressed in the spring of 1920, but in the "bloody year", 28,000 Korean citizens were killed by the Japanese military police and the army, and more people were injured or imprisoned. ^[8]So Bronze reliefs depicting the Japanese response to Korean protestors in that period. ^[8]The reliefs sculpture marks people's resistance to Japanese rule and brutal suppression of the movement, as well as the heroic efforts of many people who mobilized their families and communities to participate in the Korean national and transnational struggle for independence. ^[8]Today, March 1 every year is a national holiday in South Korea, and commemorative activities are organised in Tapgol Park every year. ^[8]