A wooden plaque bearing the calligraphy of Sunjong, the last emperor of the Korean Empire, and an epitaph written by Yi Gwang-sa, a renowned calligrapher of the late Joseon Dynasty, have returned from Japan. The artifacts carry added significance as they were donated by brothers who are cultural heritage experts residing in Japan.
The Korea Heritage Service held a joint donation ceremony at the National Palace Museum of Korea in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on Wednesday, unveiling the "Sunjong Yeje Yepil Hyeonpan" (a plaque composed and written by Sunjong) and the "White Porcelain Blue-and-White Epitaph of Yi Jin-geom," both of which have returned to Korea.
The "Sunjong Yeje Yepil Hyeonpan" is a plaque engraved with text that the then-Crown Prince Sunjong composed and wrote himself at a royal banquet held in the lunar September of 1892, the 29th year of King Gojong's reign. The quadrilateral plaque features a border carved with dragon and phoenix heads. The characters were carved in relief on the wooden panel, with the background painted in black ink and the letters in green. The border is decorated with lotus and hollyhock patterns. The text celebrates the birthday of his mother, Empress Myeongseong, and wishes for the longevity of both King Gojong and Empress Myeongseong. It is a rare example of calligraphy left by Sunjong, the monarch of a fallen nation. How the plaque made its way to Japan remains unclear. It was put up for auction in Japan in 2024 and won by Kim Kang-won, head of Seigodo, an antique art dealer in Japan.
The "White Porcelain Blue-and-White Epitaph of Yi Jin-geom" is an epitaph (a stone tablet recording the life of the deceased) for Yi Jin-geom (1671-1727), a civil official who served as Minister of Rites in the late Joseon Dynasty. It was produced in 1745, nearly 20 years after his death. The epitaph consists of 10 white porcelain tablets inscribed in blue pigment. The text was composed by Yi Deok-su, who served as Minister of Personnel, and the calligraphy was written by Yi Gwang-sa, one of the most prominent calligraphers of the late Joseon Dynasty and the son of Yi Jin-geom. The front of the epitaph is notable for being written in clerical script, which is rare among Yi Gwang-sa's works. The epitaph was discovered by Kim Chang-won, the elder brother of Kim Kang-won, at an antique art dealer in Tokyo, Japan.
"I believe cultural heritage can fully reveal its value only when it is in its rightful place," Kim Chang-won said, expressing his wish to share the calligraphy of the master Yi Gwang-sa with many people.
