ㅇExhibition title: “The Smile of Buddha,1600 Years of Buddhist Art in Korea” 
  ㅇExhibition period: Oct.10.2008 ~ Jan.18.2009 
  ㅇExhibition location: Center for Fine Arts, Brussels

Initiation
In 2006, National Museum of Korea was proposed by the Center for Fine Arts and the Embassy of Korea in Belgium and the Embassy of Belgium in Korea to have a special exhibition on Korean art. Director of BOZAR Paul Dujardin, the ambassador Victor Wei and Mr. Jan Van Alphen made several visits to Seoul to give shape to this exhibition. It was encouraged by the cordial letters between the former Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt and the former President of Korea Roh Moo Hyun. The former director of NMK visited CFA in 2007 and confirmed the potential value the venue has. The National Museum of Korea and its eight branch museums are now taking part in this exhibition by their loans.

Exhibition
The purpose of this exhibition is to introduce Korean Buddhist art in Belgium, the heart of Europe, and to share the recent research outcomes that illuminate on them. Since its arrival in the Korean Peninsula in the fourth century CE, Buddhism incorporated itself into indigenous culture. The natural environment, historical condition and religious disposition also exerted influence upon forming unique character of Korean Buddhism. The visual culture embodies features that distinguish it from neighboring cultures. 118 items (204 pieces) are selected for this special exhibition. Buddhist art in Korea involves metal crafts, wooden crafts, architecture, ceramic as well as sculpture and painting. From a 4cm Buddha statue to 364cm painting of Sakyamuni’s Preaching, from a roof-end tile to a reliquary, artifacts were chosen to present wishes of Korean in various levels and forms. Having survived 1600 years old, they have left traces on Korean history in any way. Modern Korea is not at all irrelevant to that.

Gold Crown and Belt, excavated from Geumnyeong-chong Tomb, Gyeongju, Silla, 5-6th century, Treasure No. 338
 Six Silla gold crowns, dating to the latter half of the fifth century and the sixth century, were excavated so far. They show some aspects of shamanism or nomadic traditions of the North in its form and symbolic meaning. Most of all was worn by kings, queens and royal households who seized the centralized political power over the kingdoms.

Contemplative Bodhisattva, Three Kingdoms, early 7th century, gilt bronze, National Treasure No. 83
The image of a contemplative bodhisattva originates in an anecdote, in which it tells the moment the Prince Siddhārtha first meditated on the transience of life. After the iconography of the contemplative bodhisattva was introduced to East Asia, it was worshipped in its own right, not seen as merely one of a group of images to be venerated.  In Korea, images of contemplative bodhisattva were made mostly for about one hundred years between the sixth and seventh centuries, the late Three Kingdoms period.
This figure is recognized for its natural and most ideal image of contemplation.  It organically combines unrealistic body proportions despite the posture that is difficult to hold, and shows the highly-advanced metalwork technique in the ancient times with which this imposing image could be produced.

Frontispiece of Avatamsaka Sutra vol. 47, Goryeo, late 14th century, written in gold on dark-blue paper, painted in gold
Because a Buddhist sutra contains invaluable teachings of Buddha, each character of the sutra was written with utmost care in gold and silver ink on the highest quality dark-blue or brown paper at the time. A copy of a sutra includes a cover page that depicts the scene of the words of truth blooming from a lotus flower, frontispiece that depicts the essential contents of the sutra, main text, and the prayer of wishes (colophon) that states the purpose of making for the copy.

Vairocana, late Unified Silla or early Goryeo, cast iron
Vairocana is identified by its right hand clasping its left index finger, the hand gesture called jigwon-in. Vairocana means ‘sun’ or ‘light’ in Sanskrit. As the metaphysical discussion went on with the advancement of the Buddhist doctrine, the Buddha was conceptualized as the true law itself by the comparison to the sunlight which illuminates the universe. Images of Vairocana began to appear from the mid eighth century onwards, and were actively produced throughout the entire kingdom by the ninth century.

Hanging Scrolls of Heavenly King of the South, Joseon, 19th century, color on silk
During the Joseon period, the Gate of Heavenly Kings was built at the entrance of every temple, and on its left and right walls were juxtaposed two sculptures or paintings of the Four Heavenly Kings each to protect the temple at four cardinal points symbolically.  Each of the Four Heavenly Kings holds a specific attribute representing its identity and direction; pagoda, dragon and cintamani, sword, and lute.

Reliquary, Unified Silla, late 7th century
This cube-shaped reliquary was discovered from above the roof stone of the third floor of the 9.76-meter stone pagoda in Nawon-ri, Gyeongju (an ancient capital of Silla) during its disassembly and restoration from late 1995 to the summer of 1996.  Inside were one gilt-bronze standing Buddha statue, one gilt-bronze three-story miniature pagoda, three gilt-bronze nine-story miniature pagodas, and shards of miniature wooden pagodas, four beads, and some twenty granules of sarira.  Copies of the Great Dharani Sutra of Immaculate and Pure Light were attached to inner sides of the reliquary. The consecration of a pagoda, placing a number of miniature pagodas sealed with copies of dharani into the pagoda, has been practiced in Korea since the first half of the eighth century.

Temple Bell, excavated from Yeoncheon-gun, Gyeonggi-do Province, Goryeo, late 13th century, bronze
This cube-shaped reliquary was discovered from above the roof stone of the third floor of the 9.76-meter stone pagoda in Nawon-ri, Gyeongju (an ancient capital of Silla) during its disassembly and restoration from late 1995 to the summer of 1996.  Inside were one gilt-bronze standing Buddha statue, one gilt-bronze three-story miniature pagoda, three gilt-bronze nine-story miniature pagodas, and shards of miniature wooden pagodas, four beads, and some twenty granules of sarira.  Copies of the Great Dharani Sutra of Immaculate and Pure Light were attached to inner sides of the reliquary. The consecration of a pagoda, placing a number of miniature pagodas sealed with copies of dharani into the pagoda, has been practiced in Korea since the first half of the eighth century.