SEOUL — The National Museum of Korea (NMK) announced on October 19, 2025, a momentous acquisition: a historic donation of 1,143 rubbings of epigraphs and other cultural artifacts from the revered Buddhist monk, Venerable Heungseon, the "Master Rubbing Artist" of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. Comprising 558 items, this donation represents the largest single-volume collection of rubbings ever gifted to the museum, comprehensively covering the history of Korean epigraphic culture from the Three Kingdoms period to the Joseon Dynasty.
Venerable Heungseon’s rubbings are celebrated for their dual excellence, merging high academic value with artistic perfection. For over four decades, the monk, who previously served as director of the Buddhist Central Museum and chief abbot of Jikjisa Temple in Gimcheon, dedicated himself to the meticulous practice of takbon (rubbing). His expertise was formally recognized in 2024 when he was designated the first-ever Master Rubbing Artist by the Jogye Order.
Museum officials underscore the exceptional quality of the donated works, noting their superior clarity and detail compared to existing collections. "Venerable Heungseon's rubbings capture significantly more legible characters and are so precise and three-dimensional that they reveal even the chisel marks used to engrave the original texts," a museum representative explained. This level of fidelity, achieved through decades of accumulated skill and a deep understanding of epigraphy, ensures the aesthetic beauty and historical documentation value of the stone inscriptions are preserved in their entirety.
The collection includes rubbings of several designated national treasures and important cultural assets, such as the Stele for State Preceptor Bojo Seonsa at Borimsa Temple in Jangheung, the Stele for State Preceptor Hyeso Guksa at Chiljangsa Temple in Anseong, and the Naval Victory Monument of Commander Yi Gong at Yeosu. Furthermore, the donation features rubbings of calligraphy by master Korean calligraphers, including Kim Jeong-hui, Han Ho, and Yi Sam-man, alongside compilations of scripts from revered Chinese masters like Mi Fu and Ouyang Xun. A notable inclusion is the rubbing of the Gwangsan Kim Clan's tombstone in Wanju, which bears the simultaneous inscriptions of both Kim Jeong-hui (Chusa) and Yi Sam-man (Changam), offering a unique study of two great late-Joseon calligraphic styles.
Director Yu Hong-jun of the National Museum of Korea hailed the donation as a pivotal moment. "This gift serves as the starting point for sharing the artistry of takbon and the critical importance of epigraphic research with the public," Director Yu stated, affirming the museum's commitment to honor the spirit of the donation by broadly disseminating the value of these epigraphs and their rubbings.
The museum plans to immediately begin digitizing the gifted items to establish a comprehensive digital archive. This will be followed by dedicated exhibitions and research projects, ensuring that the historical narrative and artistic significance of these inscriptions are accessible to scholars and the general populace alike. This monumental donation is set to significantly enrich the nation's cultural heritage repository, ensuring these invaluable records of Korean history and art endure for future generations.
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