Han Asia Times

The National Museum of Korea (NMK) in Yongsan, Seoul, has recently renovated its permanent display of items from the Unified Silla Kingdom (676-935). Adding new artifacts and reflecting the results of recent academic research, the renovated exhibition now focuses on the two main cultural pillars of Silla times: noble Buddhism and regional influence. Unified Silla was founded in 676 when the two kingdoms of Goguryeo and Baekje lost in battle to Silla. The kingdom maintained its power for more than 200 years until the foundation of the Goryeo Dynasty in 918. The unification of the three kingdoms is a significant moment in Korean history, in that all three different languages, cultures, life styles and customs existent on the peninsula were brought together, integrated and came under the control of a single system. Formed by the integration of the Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla kingdoms, the Unified Silla kingdom consisted of nine ju , or provinces. The Iron Buddha f...

Steps to making traditional Korean pottery Usually, the kiln will be fired for two to three days, or about 45 hours. For the first 15 hours, the fire slowly heats up the kiln and dries any moisture that's inside. The temperature is then increased to about 1,200 degrees Celsius, the melting point of the glaze, and continues thus for about 30 additional hours. The pine logs, changsol , are used to fuel the fire. (Left) Dissolve the clay in water in order to remove any foreign objects; (right) Mix the clay in water to remove any contaminants. Treatment of the Clay The most important element in the production of pottery or earthenware is the clay itself. This is called jeomto or jil in Korean. High-quality clay has a brownish tint because of the high iron content and is also very sticky. The first step in making pottery is to treat the clay. Drench the newly dug up clay and allow it to get wet evenly. Second, rinse the clay in water to remove any foreign substan...

The English version of Yi Mun-yol’s short story “The Golden Phoenix” It’s safe to say that the influence novelist Yi Mun-yol has had on Korean literature could not be more far-reaching. The writer joins the ranks of the few novelists who have had many of their works translated and published in numerous languages, including, of course, English, but also French, Italian, Dutch, Chinese and Greek, reaching a worldwide audience. More than fifty of his novels, whether full-length or short, have now been published for such global readers. Among them is “The Golden Phoenix,” a 1981 short story. The novel was published in English in 1999, part of a collection of seven short stories, “The Golden Phoenix: Seven Contemporary Korean Short Stories.” The story frankly discusses the ultimate objective and essence of art, using the conflict and friendship between traditional calligrapher Seokdam and his young pupil Gojuk. Gojuk is a parentless child, with his father dead and his he...

Our trade links are expanding across the world and several multi-national companies have simultaneously set up base in India over the last decade. With these advancements the requirement for people with skills in foreign language is increasing rapidly. Fluency in French, German, Russian, Mandarin and more recently Japanese, Spanish and Korean are in great demand. A career in foreign languages also promises a great opportunity to travel the world over and be paid for it too. So if you have a keen interest in learning an additional language and a strong command over existing ones you can make a career out of mastering foreign languages. CHOOSE RIGHT LANGUAGE FIRST Popularity or better career prospects in a foreign language are linked with the international and economic ties with a particular country. Aptitude for a language is important while deciding on a language. Universities such as Delhi University and Jawaharlal Nehru University conduct entrance exams at the undergradu...