Folk museum revisits ancient art of printing
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A print of the woodblock etching “Four Big Buddhist Temples on Mt. Geumgang” from 1899 is on display at the National Folk Museum of Korea. / Courtesy of National Folk Museum of Korea
By Chung Ah-young
The process of printing has significantly contributed to the spread of knowledge in civilization by enabling the affordable and efficient duplication of documents and consequently, making such documents available to the wider public. In ancient Korea, however, printing was not only an effective medium for mass communication but also an integral part of culture and people’s daily lives.
Woodblock printing was widely used from the Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392) to the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910) for a wide range of purposes, from duplicating pictures, religious scriptures and novels to imprinting fabric for daily items, such as duvet covers and clothes.
To showcase the history of ancient printing, the National Folk Museum of Korea is holding an exhibition titled “The Flowering of Print Culture — Ancient Woodblock Printing” as part of the K-Museums Special Exhibition project through July 20, which promotes local public and private museums in provincial areas.
The exhibition features some 100 woodblocks and prints from the collection of the Museum of Ancient Asian Woodblock Prints at Myeongju Temple in Wonju, Gangwon Province. The museum is renowned for its vast collection of old engraved woodblocks and prints, as well as its in-depth research on the history of printing . It holds some 4,000 pieces of Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Tibetan and Mongolian woodblock prints, along with books, patterns and amulets.
The woodblock etching of the “Five Moral Rules” with illustrations in 1859. Courtesy of National Folk Museum of Korea
“Recently, Ancient Asian printing has been gaining attention in the international art scene, particularly, in painting. Ancient Asian printing is becoming a source of inspiration in the contemporary art scene owing to its attractive and diverse patterns and designs,” Han Seon-hak, the director of the Museum of Ancient Woodblock Prints, said in a press briefing on Tuesday.
Han said the exhibition shows the variety and potential of Ancient Asian printing, which features the art of lines and unique patterns.
The exhibition consists of three parts — “Enlightening the World — Knowledge,” “Carrying the Hope — Prayer” and “Developing the Taste — Ornamentation.”
The first part of the exhibition portrays how printing was used to disseminate religious beliefs and affected folk culture through auspicious and protective imagery symbols.
Upon entering the exhibition hall, one can see the various prints and woodblocks related to the religious faiths on display. From the Goryeo to the Joseon Kingdoms, the woodblocks were one of the most practical measures to spread religious teachings to the public.
The woodblock-printed books, including novels and those on geography, contain both texts and illustrations. “Oryunhangsildo” or “Moral Rules of Five Human Relations” is one of Joseon’s oldest set of woodblocks and corresponding prints. Going back to 1797, it shows the essence of Confucian teachings, focusing on filial piety and loyalty to the state.
During the Goryeo Kingdom, printing was used as a vehicle to disseminate the Buddhist faith. “Woodblock printing was believed to have originated from China, where it was used to engrave the faces of the Buddha to spread them to the wider public. Thereafter, the process became widely used in other parts of the world as a religious preaching medium,” he said.
Various woodblock-printed novels, such as “Romance of the Three Kingdoms,” and the “uigwe” or royal protocols are also on display at the Exhibition.
The second part of the exhibition depicts the role of printing in folk beliefs and rituals. Traditional Korean woodblock prints express people’s prayers for health and longevity in a shamanistic way. Various auspicious patterns, such as magpies, tigers and characters, are engraved on woodblocks for printing amulets and pictures.
The last part of the exhibition shows how people’s artistic tastes were reflected in their daily lives. During the late Joseon Kingdom, printed pictures of flowers, birds, landscapes and auspicious characters were increasingly produced. These pictures were created for designs and patterns for book covers and clothes and other daily items.
“The most interesting part of this exhibition lies on the daily items, such as wooden rice-cake patterns, ‘hyungbae’ or Korean officials’ rank badge and even duvet covers printed with diverse patterns,” Han said.
“Many people think that printing was mainly used for books. In Korea, printing was widely used in people’s daily lives. It was an innovative method to help commoners gain access to knowledge and culture. It enriched people’s lives in many ways,” he said.
He said through the exhibition, visitors can compare the differences and similarities between the Chinese, Japanese and Korean cultures.
“Compared to the flamboyant engraving and printing techniques with vivid colors in China and Japan when printing began flourishing there, Korean printing was monotone — black and white. Maybe this was an influence of the austere culture promoted by the widespread Confucianism during the Joseon Kingdom,” Han said.
The director said the exhibition provides visitors an overview of the ancient art of printing in Asian countries.
“So far, we have approached the art of printing from a bibliographic perspective. In contrast, this exhibition approaches the art as it relates to people’s daily lives and to mass culture,” he said.
The exhibition will offer an academic seminar and demonstration of woodblock engraving on July 5 at the lobby of the folk museum.