
Korea: 'Land of the Morning Calm'
To its own people Korea is best known as Chosun, often translated as "land of the morning calm". The Western name, Korea, Is derived from the Koryo dynasty which ruled
the country from 918 to 1392 (Koryo may be translated as "high and beautiful").
Although the course of Korean history has been strongly influenced by the country's location between its two mighty neighbours, China and Japan, Korean culture has retained adistinctive quality of its own and numbers many unique accomplishments in the arts, science and technology.
This issue of the Unesco Courier examines some of the more important facets of the ancient Korean cultural tradition, thus contributing to UNESCO's activities in recording, interpreting and preserving the cultures of Asia.
Contents
- Spiritual landscape of traditional Korea; Ancient Korea and world history, by Byung Kil Chang
- 200 years before Gutenberg: the Master printers of Koryo, by Hye Bong Ch'on (online article)
- A Graphic portrait of the human voice, by Ki Mun Lee
- Oriental octet
- A Fresco of daily life; the wall paintings of Koguryo (online article)
- Korean painting; an original contribution to Oriental art, by Sun U Ch'oe (online article)
- The Unicorn, the phoenix and the flying horse; recent discoveries from three ancient royal tombs, by Won Yong Kim
- Immortal clay: the traditional pottery of Korea, by Yang Mo Chong
- The Stones of Sokkuram; a cornucopia of Buddhist sculpture in a 1200-year-old temple-grotto, by Su Young Hwang
- A Practical approach to science, by Sang Woon Jeon
- Six good turns from the turtle, by Za Yong Zo
- Paintings magic and mundane; folk art with a wealth of significance for everyday life, by Za Yong Zo
- An Aureole of legend on a golden crown, by Ogg Li
- UNESCO's General Conference (20th session, 1978)