Seoul, May 4 (BNA): A painting of a celestial horse, a national treasure believed to date back to the fifth to sixth centuries, returned to public display Thursday after nine years.
The “Chunma” is on display as part of a special exhibition of artifacts unearthed from a royal tomb of the Silla Dynasty (57-935 BC) at Jeonju National Museum.
The museum held an exhibition titled “The Return of Chunma” to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the Cheonma Tomb in the ancient tourist city of Jeonju, 277 kilometers south of Seoul. South Korean news agency Yonhap reported that the painting was last seen to the public in 2014.
The painting, created on a saddle made of white birch bark, depicts Chunma, a mystical creature in Korean folklore that resembles a winged horse. The creature is believed to connect heaven and earth, and travel between the two realms.
It has been designated a National Treasure due to its well-preserved condition.
Another painting titled “Chunma”, which was discovered alongside the well-known national treasure, will also be displayed during the exhibition.
But the two paintings will be shown for a limited time, respectively, from May 4 to June 11 and from June 12 to July 16, due to their fragility.
The exhibition will also include photos of several artifacts taken by photographer Joo Bon Chang, as well as the amazing gold artifacts excavated from the tomb.
More than 10,000 artifacts, including four National Treasures and six National Treasures, were discovered during excavations conducted from April to December 1973.
WWA