‘A Painting of a Hen and Chicks’ by Byeon Sang-byeok, a Joseon-era painter who was active in the mid-18th century, depicts the ‘benevolence’ (인, 仁) of the animals by showing how they share their food with their peers.
“Roosters crow to herald the dawn and the light,” said Cheon Jingi, the director of the museum. “Chickens were thought to bring light and to expel ghosts, which is why there was a custom to place a picture of a rooster on the door, along with a tiger, dragon, dog and a lion,” he said.
“Chickens were also considered to forecast the birth of important people,” he continued. “In the myth of King Hyeokgeose of Silla (박혁거세 거서간, 朴赫居世 居西干) (r. 57 B.C.-A.D. 4), and of Kim Alji (김알지, 金閼智), historical figures from Silla whose stories are found in the ‘Legends of the Three Kingdoms’ (Samguk Yusa, 삼국유사, 三國遺事), roosters let people know about the coming of great rulers,” he said.
The exhibition presents 50 works of art across three categories.
The first section of the exhibition, “Guardian of the West,” presents the rooster as the protector of the west and the animal that represents the hours of the day from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., among the 12 animals of the East Asian zodiac. There are a range of items on display, including “Painting of Twelve Zodiac Animal Deities — Rooster” and the angbuilgu, the hemispherical sundial that is National Treasure No. 845.
‘Painting of Twelve Zodiac Animal Deities — Rooster’ by Buddhist monk Manbong (만봉, 萬奉) (1910-2006) is a portrait of the mythical Mihira, the third of the 12 zodiac generals that serves Bhaisajyaguru, the Buddha of healing and medicine (약사여래, 藥師如來). The general is a rooster.
The second section of the exhibit is “Animal of Five Virtues”. Ha Dal Hong (하달홍, 河達弘) (1809-1877), a Joseon scholar, quoted an old story from the Chinese text “Hanshi Waizhuan” (한시외전, 韓詩外傳) to describe the five virtues of the rooster. “Rooster wears the hat of government officials, its comb, so it is academic (문, 文); it attacks with its claws, it is militaristic (무, 武); it fights when it faces its enemy, so it is courageous (용, 勇); it shares its food with others, so it is benevolent (인, 仁); and it crows at the right time without exception, so it is trustworthy (신, 信).” These virtues can also be found in art works such as the “Painting on the Crowing of a Rooster” and in the rooster-shaped water dropper.
A rooster-shaped water dropper from the 19th or 20th century. The painted water dropper was used to store water for grinding an ink stick on the ink stone.
Finally, the third section of the exhibition, “Companion of Everyday Life,“ introduces the chicken as an intimate animal with humans through craftworks such as a ritual bowl, silverware cases, and iron and woodblock printings.
The exhibition continues until Feb. 20.
By Kim Young Shin
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photos: the National Folk Museum of Korea
ysk1111@korea.kr
‘Painting on the Crowing of a Rooster’ (계명도, 鷄鳴圖) depicts the rising sun with a rooster. Chickens were considered auspicious beings.
The National Folk Museum of Korea hosts the special exhibition ‘Rooster — Greet the Dawn,’ which continues until Feb. 20.
