01 02 Gyeongju Exploration Map Gyeongju Exploration Map Yangdong Clan Village Geumnyeongchong Tomb Daereungwon Tumuli Park Donggung and Wolji Pond 국립경주박물관 Bulguksa Temple Gyeongju National Museum Cheomseongdae Singyeongju Seokguram Grotto KTX Train Station 03 04 Gyeongju National Museum site of Hwangnyongsa Temple (formerly the state temple of Silla). To the south, the museum Gyeongju National Museum faces Namsan Mountain, home to countless masterpieces of Buddhist art. Encircled by cultural treasures, the museum acts as both the storehouse and the centerpiece for these enduring and precious historical landmarks. Founded in 1945, Gyeongju National Museum is located right in the midst of UNESCO Thus, the museum’s existence must be attributed to the people of the past, particularly the Heritage Sites such as Wolseong, Donggung Palace, and Wolji Pond (all parts of the royal people of Silla, who realized their thoughts and ideals in art and crafted this astounding palace site of Silla), Daereungwon (a large cluster of royal burial mounds), and the former capital of culture. 05 06 01. 성덕대왕신종 02. 금관 Divine Bell of Gold Crown King Seongdeok Unified Silla, 771 CE Silla, 6th Century CE H 365.8cm / Wt 18.9t H 32.5cm / Wt 1,262,6g National Treasure No.29 National Treasure No.188 This bell has been well known as the Emile Bell. The bell is associated with a legend that a Silla became an ancient state under the Maripgan rules of the mid-fourth century. At the child was thrown into the bell when it was cast and hence make a sound that resemble a time, many wooden chamber tombs covered by stone and earthen mounds containing gold child's calling for his or her mother. artifacts were constructed in the center of Gyeongju as well as the surrounding areas. The However, the legend of the bell appears to have been a story that was concocted after Maripgan (King) and his family wore various gold, silver, and gilt-bronze objects as adornment numerous obstacles were met in manufacturing such a magnificent bell. and used gold and silver bowls. The gold crown is representative of the Silla gold culture but Inscriptions record that King Gyeong-Deok intended to commemorate his father, King only six gold crowns that have been discovered thus far appear to have been manufactured Seongdeok, with a large bell made of 7200kg of copper, but was not able to fulfill his intent in one particular century. Judging by the elaborate and splendid design, this gold crown is before his own death. from common to the latter years of the silla period. Silla saw gold as the symbol of power and King Hyegong, King Gyeondeok's son, set about materializing his father's wish and completed authority of its leaders. the bell in 771 CE, after seven years of his enthronement. Of all the extant Korean bells, the Divine Bell of King Seongdeok is considered the most remarkable; its beautiful form and patterns as well as its sounds place the bell among the most well-made bells in the world. 07 08 03. 장식보검 04. 얼굴무늬 수막새 Ornamental Roof-end Tile Dagger Sheath with Human Face Design Tomb No. 14 in Gyerim-ro, Yeongmyosa Temple site, Gyeongju Silla, 6th Century CE Gyeongju Silla, L 36.0cm L 11.5cm Treasure No.635 Treasure No.2010 We know from the artifacts excavated from Gyeongju that Silla had contacted with distant The design on the roof-end tile features a face with plump lips, an upwardly turning mouth, Central Asia and countries farther to the west. This iron dagger with a golden sheath low cheeks, and slightly protruding eyes that make up for an innocent smile. The face on the excavated from Tomb No.14 at Gyerim-ro in Gyeongju bears a striking similarity to the one roof-end tile is believed to have been made to repel evil spirits. excavated from Borovoe in Kazakhstan. From this point of view, it is thought to have been This roof-end tile was first excavated from Yeongmyosa Temple site during the Japanese made on the Black Sea coast and in Central Asia. Colonial Period, and a Japanese man named Danaka Toshinobu kept it for many years until he People also came to Silla, not just cultural artifacts. According to ninth-century CE Islamic donated it to the Gyeongju National Museum in October 1972. records, there were Muslims who ultimately settled in Silla. What is especially noteworthy is The wide rim along its edge, the high-temperature firing technique, and the full volume of that the stone statues of humans at Gwaereung and the Tomb of King Heungdeok depict the face have led experts to estimate its time of origin as the Three Kingdoms period. people with facial features that seem to mark them as coming from outside of the Korean peninsula. 09 10 05. 토우장식 긴목 항아리 06. 금동약사여래입상 Long-necked Jar Bhaisajyaguru with Clay Figurines Buddha Section of the Tomb of Baengnyulsa Temple, King Michu, Gyeongju Silla, Gyeongju Unified Silla, 5th Century CE Latter Half of the 8th Century CE H 34.0cm H 179.0cm National Treasure No.195 National Treasure No.28 This long-necked jar is the most representative piece of Silla pottery with figurine attachments. After unification, Silla merged the cultures of Goguryeo and Baekje and absorbed the Buddha Three of the figurines, representing a duck and a snake biting into the back legs of a frog, statue style of the Tang Dynasty, and soon constructed bronze Buddha statues which were the were placed around the neck and the shoulder of the jar at equal distances from one best of those days in terms of both casting technique and sculpture. another. Other figurines providing extra decoration include a man with an exaggerated This statue was moved to the museum from Baengnyulsa Temple on Sogeumgangsan phallus, a musician playing the sillageum(a Korean zither with six strings), a couple in the Mountain in 1930. Baengnyulsa Temple is strongly associated with the legend of Ichadon, the midst of intercourse, a fish, a bird, and a tortoise. Ornamental figurines such as these perhaps great martyr who precipitated the acceptance of Buddhism in Silla. It has long been known as represented people’s hopes for fertility and prosperity. Thus, they are indispensable materials a historical and mythical place. that yield tremendous insight into the Silla people’s spiritual world and their way of life in The Amitabha and Vairocana Buddha images of Bulguksa Temple and this Bhaisajyaguru harmony with nature. image comprise the three gilt bronze statues that best represent the Buddhist sculpture of Unified Silla. This life-sized sculpture showcases outstanding composition and technique, with excellent overall proportions. 11 12 07. 사리갖춤 08. 석조미륵삼존불 Maitreya Sarira Reliquary Buddha Triad Western Pagoda of the Gameunsa Jangchanggol Valley, Temple site Unified Silla, 682 CE Namsan Mountain, Geongju Silla, Former Half of the 7th Century CE H 28.0cm (outer chest) Treasure No. 366 H 160.0cm (center buddha) This reliquary was discovered in the top part of a three-story stone pagoda to the west of As can be gleaned from the account that temples were as numerous as the stars in the sky Gameunsa Temple site in 1959. A similar reliquary was also found in the stone pagoda to the and pagodas could be lined up like a flock of seagulls, a significant number of temples and east of the temple site in 1996. Gameunsa Temple was built at the order of King Sinmun to pagodas were built in the royal capital as well as on Namsan Mountain in Gyeongju. This triad commemorate his father King Munmu in 682 CE. (in tribute to his accomplishments as the was moved from a stone chamber in Jangchanggol Valley on the northern peak of Namsan unifier of the Korean peninsula. Both the West Pagoda and the sarira reliquary are presumed Mountain in Gyeongju. (This Maitreya triad was found in 1925, inside a stone chamber in to have been created at this time.) The reliquaries found at the temple site attest to the very jangchanggol Valley of Namsan Mountain in Geongju.) Among the three statues, the main high standard of metal craftwork technologies from the Unified Silla Period. Inside a cuboid- Buddha is especially unique. The sculpture is one of the rare Korean statues representing shaped outer chest, a house-shaped sarira case was placed, while the crystal jar holding the Buddhist deities seated on chairs. Given that Buddhas seated with two pendulous legs are sarira was kept inside of a flame-shaped ornament at the center of the sarira case. Four mostly considered to represent Maitreya in China, the main Buddha of this triad is also likely Heavenly Deities were engraved onto the four sides of the outer chest, and muses playing to be a representation of Maitreya. The maitreya Buddha Triad is also known as the "Child musical instruments were engraved along the four corners of the base plate of the sarira case. Buddhas" because of the smiles on the Bodhisattvas on the right and the left. The childlike faces and bodies that are rotund yet toned reflect the sculpture styles of the Northern Qi and Sui of China, (this granite sculpture with gentle curves has an overall warm tone) but the granite that is polished and shaped to express harmony and softness is particular to Silla forms. 13 14 09. 치미 10. 금동초심지가위 Curved Ridge-end Gilt-bronze Roof Tile Snuffers Hwangnyongsa Temple Site, Wolji Pond, Gyeongju Unified Silla, Gyeongju Silla, 7th Century CE 8th-9th Century CE H 182.0cm L 25.5cm Treasure No.1844 The greatest temple of the kingdom of Silla, Hwangnyongsa Temple was originally intended Wolji was an artificial pond on the grounds of the royal palace in Silla.