“Hamheung: the Hometown of Joseon Royal Family”: Hamheung, the central city in the northeast of Hamgyeong Province, used to be regarded as “an uncultivated place far from the capital” before the mid-17th century. However, it steadily developed until it was later recognized as the hometown of the Joseon Royal Family as it is where Yi Seonggye, the founder of the Joseon dynasty, spent his youth. Around 30 works of art and artifacts that show the history and culture of Hamheung are on display at the National Museum of Korea. The exhibition runs through Feb. 13 at its Thematic Exhibition room in the Medieval and Early Modern History Gallery. The museum is located near Ichon Subway Station, Line No. 4, Exit 2. For more information, visit www.museum.go.kr or call (02) 2077-9000.
“Tomb Murals of the Four Guardian Deities from Gangseodaemyo”: The four guardian deities are a pantheon of four divine beasts ― the Blue Dragon, the White Tiger, the Red Phoenixes and the Black Tortoise and Serpent ― which appear in Gangseodaemyo, a Goguryeo tomb located in Nampo city, South Pyeongan Province. The exhibition showcases murals of the deities. The exhibition runs through March 27 at the museum’s Goguryeo room in the Prehistory and Ancient History Gallery. The museum is located near Ichon Subway Station, Line No. 4, Exit 2. For more information, visit www.museum.go.kr or call (02) 2077-9000.
“Silk Road and Dunhuang”: The Silk Road was an extensive network of routes that linked Asia with Europe, facilitating exchange between vastly different civilizations. The museum offers 214 relics that were exchanged via the route, lent from 12 foreign institutions. The exhibits include “Wangochenchukgukjeon,” or “Memoir of the Pilgrimage to the Five Kingdoms of India” by Buddhist monk Hye-cho, lent by the National Library of France. The exhibition runs through April 3 at the museum’s Special Exhibition Gallery. The museum is located near Ichon Subway Station, Line No. 4, Exit 2. For more information, visit www.museum.go.kr or call (02) 2077-9000.
