Woodblock from Goryeo era found to belong to Joseon Dynasty

Woodblock from Goryeo era found to belong to Joseon Dynasty. January. 29, 2016 07:12. by 김상운 기자sukim@donga.com. The two pieces of Jeungdoga, the block books that were designated as national treasure No. 758 32 years ago, have been found to have been printed during the Joseon Dynasty, opposite to the popular belief that it belonged to the Goryeo era. The Jeungdoga is a Buddhist book written by Hyeon-gak, the Buddhist monk from Chinese Tang Dynasty, and the Jeungdogaja, which has recently been under scrutiny over its authenticity, is the metal print version of the Jeungdoga.

According to the Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea, seven bibliography and calligraphy experts including three members of the cultural heritage committee investigated on Monday three pieces of Jeungdoga that were printed on the same woodblock at the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage in Daejeon, and they reached a unanimous conclusion that the pieces were created during the Joseon Dynasty. The subjects of investigation included National Treasure No. 758-1 (owned by Samsung Museum of Publishing, designated in 1984), National Treasure No. 758-2 (owned by Gong In Museum of Art, designated in 2012), and the Jeungdoga which a collector surnamed Kim filed a request with the government to designate as cultural property last year.

After analyzing the stroke width, quality of paper and font style, the experts drew the conclusion that No. 758-1 was printed during King Sejong era, Kim’s was made during King Seongjong era, and No. 758-2 was printed during King Myeongjong era. The most decisive evidence was the postscript by Queen Insoo, which was separated from Kim’s Jeungdoga. The postscript proves that Kim Su-on (1409-1481), an official from the early Joseon Dynasty, drew up a writing in June, 1472, during the reign of King Seongjong.

In Kim’s Jeungdoga, the committee members found the trace of being torn out for rebinding. Speculation has been raised that someone has tried to tear off the postscript to make it like a woodblock from the Goryeo era. “If it has been separated intentionally, it may not be designated as cultural property,” said an official from the Cultural Heritage Administration.