The Korea Times close
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
Entertainment
& Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
Sports
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
Video
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
Sat, July 2, 2022 | 04:40
Arts
Cultural heritage institute restores Buddhist scriptures on bark at Mongolia's request
Posted : 2021-02-02 12:36
Updated : 2021-02-02 17:06
Print Preview
Font Size Up
Font Size Down
A conservation scientist cleans a Buddhist scripture written on bark from Mongolia at the Cultural Heritage Conservation Science Center. / Courtesy of National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage
A conservation scientist cleans a Buddhist scripture written on bark from Mongolia at the Cultural Heritage Conservation Science Center. / Courtesy of National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage

By Kwon Mee-yoo

The Cultural Heritage Conservation Science Center in the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage (NRICH) finished conservation treatment on 17th-century Buddhist scriptures from Mongolia.

The Institute of History and Archaeology at Mongolian Academy of Sciences requested restoration of the Buddhist scriptures written on bark and paper, which had been excavated in 2019 from the archaeological site Sum Tolgoi in Tes soum, Zavkhan Province in western Mongolia.

The Buddhist scriptures were excavated as part of the "Cities of Mongolia in the 17th century" project led by Chuluun Sampildondov, the current Mongolian minister of culture, who served as director of the institute from 2018 to 2019.

The Mongolian institute sent 21 artifacts including the bark and wood scriptures to Korea's NRICH as the two signed the Arrangement on the Korea-Mongolia Joint Project for Research and Preservation of Cultural Heritage in 2019.

A conservation scientist cleans a Buddhist scripture written on bark from Mongolia at the Cultural Heritage Conservation Science Center. / Courtesy of National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage
Buddhist scripture on bark from Mongolia before restoration / Courtesy of National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage

The Buddhist scriptures were excavated from dry soil and thus were torn to pieces or crumpled and the contents were illegible. The NRICH's conservation center removed pollutants and unfolded the scriptures and strengthened against tears with restoration paper made from Korean mulberry.

The center also used cellulose resin to consolidate the surface of the bark scriptures to restore them to a legible state, revealing the contents.

The restoration team also found clearly identified letters from infrared images and components of the pigment containing ink, silver and iron. Radiocarbon dating suggested that the paper scriptures are from around the 15th to 17th century. The Mongolian institute will continue research on the Buddhist scriptures based on results from the conservation treatment and scientific research conducted in Korea.

A conservation scientist cleans a Buddhist scripture written on bark from Mongolia at the Cultural Heritage Conservation Science Center. / Courtesy of National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage
Buddhist scripture on bark from Mongolia after restoration / Courtesy of National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage

The two institutes will continue to collaborate on research.

"Taking this opportunity, we will try to newly prepare the plan for educational support human resources who are engaged in conservation treatment for organic materials relatively in inadequate environments to solidify amicable cultural relations between both countries," the NRICH said in a statement.


Emailmeeyoo@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
LG
LG
  • 'Crypto rebound will be more powerful than stocks'
  • Economic Essay Contest for University Students
  • Negative views of China among Koreans hit all-time high: survey
  • Baemin, Coupang Eats scramble to retain delivery drivers
  • Yoon dismisses China's claim that Korea is joining NATO's Indo-Pacific expansion
  • 1,000 people evacuated from building in central Seoul after tremor
  • Yoon heads home after attending NATO summit in Spain
  • Bodies of child, parents found in vehicle recovered from water
  • Ruling party's odd man out
  • Yellen to discuss supply chains, imposing costs on Russia during visit to Seoul
  • Korean studies struggles to grow despite success of K-pop, K-dramas Korean studies struggles to grow despite success of K-pop, K-dramas
  • [INTERVIEW] Bae Suzy shows another side in 'Anna' [INTERVIEW] Bae Suzy shows another side in 'Anna'
  • Korea's 1st queer romance reality show to hit air July 8 Korea's 1st queer romance reality show to hit air July 8
  • [INTERVIEW] Filmmaker points lens at North Korea's political prison camps [INTERVIEW] Filmmaker points lens at North Korea's political prison camps
  • Naver Webtoon launches horror-themed playground in metaverse Naver Webtoon launches horror-themed playground in metaverse
DARKROOM
  • Afghanistan earthquake killed more than 1,000

    Afghanistan earthquake killed more than 1,000

  • Divided America reacts to overturn of Roe vs. Wade

    Divided America reacts to overturn of Roe vs. Wade

  • Namaste: Yogis to celebrate International Yoga Day

    Namaste: Yogis to celebrate International Yoga Day

  • Poor hit harder by economic crisis

    Poor hit harder by economic crisis

  • Roland Garros 2022

    Roland Garros 2022

The Korea Times
CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Location
  • Media Kit
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Service
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • Mobile Service
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Policy
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • 고충처리인
  • Youth Protection Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group