National Standard Measurement Artifact and Beomeosa Temple Hanging Scroll
Designated as National Registered Cultural Heritage
The National Heritage Administration announced on the 18th that it has designated the "National Standard Measurement Artifact (a long wooden measuring vessel with a capacity of 7 hop and 5 jak)" and the "Beomeosa Temple Hanging Scroll and Hanging Scroll Case in Busan" as National Registered Cultural Heritage.
The National Standard Measurement Artifact is a long wooden measuring vessel based on the capacity of 7 hop and 5 jak, which is approximately 1,350㎤. Unlike the regulations established by the Pyeongsikwon, the state agency specializing in measurement management, in 1902, this artifact follows the Measurement Law set by the Department of Agriculture, Commerce, and Industry in 1905. The Department of Agriculture, Commerce, and Industry was the agency responsible for overseeing agriculture, commerce, and industry administration in 1895. The National Heritage Administration explained, "The character 'Pyeong (平),' which indicates that the vessel was officially certified, remains on the artifact," and added, "It is a relic that demonstrates the measurement system of the time, as well as the evolution of measurement standards and daily life in the modern era."
The Beomeosa Temple Hanging Scroll in Busan is a large Buddhist painting measuring 610 cm wide and 1,080 cm tall. It is believed to have been used outdoors during major Buddhist ceremonies at Beomeosa Temple. At the bottom of the painting, it is recorded that the scroll was created in the ninth year of Daehan Gwangmu (1905), along with the names of sixteen monks who participated in its production. The hanging scroll case, which stores the scroll, has been kept in the space behind the main altar of the Daeungjeon Hall. Since the case features metal decorative patterns similar to those on the hanging scroll itself, it is highly likely that both were produced around the same time. An official from the National Heritage Administration commented, "The scroll clearly reflects the characteristics of the early 20th century, combining traditional Buddhist painting iconography with modern shading techniques, making it a significant milestone for the study of modern Buddhist paintings."
Overseas exchange letters (left) and personal letters among the records related to the creation of Taean Cheollipo Arboretum [Photo by National Heritage Administration]
Meanwhile, on the same day, the National Heritage Administration also announced the preliminary designation of "Records Related to the Establishment of Taean Cheollipo Arboretum" as National Registered Cultural Heritage. These records include land purchase certificates, work diaries, plant collection, propagation, and management logs, overseas exchange letters, and personal correspondence, all compiled by Min Byunggal, the founder of Cheollipo Arboretum, Korea's first private arboretum. Each document provides detailed records of the process and circumstances surrounding the arboretum's establishment. For example, the plant collection log records the scientific names, locations, and purposes of collected plants; the plant propagation log details sowing status, plant conditions, and soil improvement experiments; and the plant management records describe the growth of nursery plants. The overseas exchange letters, which document correspondence with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the New York Botanical Garden, the Royal Horticultural Society in the UK, and the International Dendrology Society regarding various aspects of arboretum operations, are also considered highly valuable.
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