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| A screen capture from the documentary, "Buddhist Heritage of Pakistan," produced by the Embassy of Pakistan in Korea to promote the country's Buddhist heritage. Courtesy of the Embassy of Pakistan in Korea |
By Kwon Mee-yoo
The Embassy of Pakistan in Korea produced a documentary shedding light on the South Asian country's rich Buddhist history and heritage.
Pakistan is home to one of the oldest civilizations in the world and has a unique social fabric and culture, encompassing diverse cultures, religions, languages and ethnicities.
Although it is officially called the Islamic Republic, Pakistan is the origin of Mahayana Buddhism, one of the two main branches of the religion which is predominant in Korea, and the embassy aims to promote its Buddhist heritage to Koreans.
Ambassador of Pakistan to Korea Nabeel Munir emphasized that Pakistan is a young nation with a millennia-old history.
"Boasting people of different cultures, languages, religions and ethnicities, Pakistan is one of the most diverse countries in the world. It is a melting pot, in which traditions from diverse and far-off landscapes mix and mingle to create new identities," Munir said during the launching ceremony of the documentary at the War Memorial of Korea in central Seoul, June 28.
"Buddhist Heritage of Pakistan" explores the ancient Gandhara region in the northwestern part of the country, which played an important role in spreading Buddhism to East Asia.
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| Ambassador of Pakistan to Korea Nabeel Munir delivers opening remarks during the launching ceremony of the documentary, "Buddhist Heritage of Pakistan," at the War Memorial of Korea in Seoul, June 28. Courtesy of the Embassy of Pakistan in Korea |
"The documentary will give you a glimpse into the Gandhara and Buddhist heritage of Pakistan, a heritage that has become a part of our ethos and has been sustained for thousands of years. Sites, statues and artifacts reflect the glory of civilization that existed in the Gandhara region 2,500 years ago and we will also revisit the historical link between Pakistan and Korea that dates back centuries," Munir said.
Major sites featured in the documentary include the Jaulian Stupa, the Bhamala Stupa, Shahbaz Garhi, the Takht-i-Bahi monastery site and Butkara Stupa as well as the Peshawar Museum and the Swat Museum in present-day Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Peshawar was the capital of the ancient Buddhist kingdom of Gandhara and is rich with Buddhist relics from Gandhara with over 30,000 items in the collection of Peshawar Museum.
Punjab province is known for the Dharmarajika Stupa, housing bone relics of the Buddha, and the Mohra Moradu Monastery. The province is also home to the Lahore Museum, famous for "The Fasting Buddha" statue, and the Taxila Museum.
Mohenjo-daro in the province of Sindh, an archaeological site of one of the earliest civilizations in the world complete with street grids and an underground sewage system, is also shown in the documentary.
The documentary was produced in collaboration with Pakistan Business Association Korea and Zayer Films and is now available on the embassy's YouTube channel.
Munir said the embassy is looking for more opportunities to screen the documentary to get closer to the Korean public through Buddhism.
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