Detail

`In commemoration of an exhibitions of 354 masterpieces representing 5000 year of Korean art now being held in seven major cities of the United States form May 1, 1979, through June 30, 1981, the Ministry of Communications has been issuing a series of postage stamps to give a fresh image of Korea as a nation with an abundant and unique cultural heritage of supreme quality. The following two stamps to be issued this time are the last o the series: 1. Hahoe Masks Hahoe Masks, National Treasure No.121, were used in a ritual mask dance performed to soothe village gods enshrined in Sunghwang­dang, Kukshin­dang and Samshin­dang in Hahoe Village, Andong Country, Kyoungsang­pukto Province, and its vicinity from the days of the mid­Koryo Dynasty. Originally, the Hahoe Masks comprised a total of 12 wood­carved masks. Only nine of them have been bequeathed to date, however. These masks are more expressive than others, and some of them have moving parts with comic facial expressions. This mask drama is satirical about the gentry(Yangban), and used to play the role of a sort of social safety­valve for the Iower classes. 2. Golden Amitabha with Halo Golden Amitabha with Halo, National Treasure No.79, is one of the two statues discovered in June 1942 from a stone pagoda at the site of Hwangdok­sa Temple in the eastern outskirts of Kyongju, the ancient capital of the Shilla Dynasty. According to the letters inscribed thereon, this image was moulded in 706 A.D. during the period of United Shilla, and is now preserved at the National Museum of Korea in Seoul. The seated Buddha made of pure gold is only 12.2cm high, with his legs being concealed by a fall of drapery, and his right hand raised in a gesture of blessing. The pedestal is composed of a downturned lotus, a short column and an upturned lotus that forms the seat.`