▲ 청룡도(Painting of Blue Dragon), 222x217cm, Korea ⓒ National Museum of Korea

The National Museum of Korea holds a special exhibition, Finding Dragons at the Museum, until April 7.

The exhibition was designed to commemorate the Year of the Blue Dragon in 2024 and introduces 15 historical Korean exhibits related to dragons at the permanent exhibition hall.

The dragon is the only imaginary animal among the twelve animal zodiac symbols and is said to have a camel's head with deer antlers, rabbit eyes, cow ears, snake neck, frog belly, carp scales, hawk claws, and tiger feet. Dragons in the East differ from dragons in the West in that they do not have wings.

▲ 백자 청화 구름용무늬 큰 항아리, Ceramic, 53.4x18.3x17cm, Korea(Chosun) ⓒ National Museum of Korea

The dragon, such a surreal being, has powerful power and was considered a symbolic and spiritual animal in the royal family and Buddhism.

The audience will be able to see how the existence of dragons was expressed and symbolically written in Korean history through paintings, sculptures, jewelry, and ceramics.

▲ 용무늬 벽돌(dragon-patterned bricks), Dirt, Brick, Korea(Baekje) ⓒ National Museum of Korea

The exhibits are displayed along with other exhibits from the first to third floors of the National Museum of Korea, and you can check out more details if you scan a QR code next to the exhibits.

In addition, in the calligraphy room 202-3 on the second floor, the audience can see more works related to dragons in addition to the exhibits of Finding Dragons at the Museum.

▲ 청동 범종(a bronze bell), 36.5x23.4cm, Korea(Koryeo) ⓒ National Museum of Korea

Sayart / Nao Yim, yimnao@naver.com