ARHAT SCULPTURES

[Anchor Lead]

Arhats refers to Buddhist saints who have gained insight into the truth and achieved enlightenment. Hundreds of stone sculptures of arhats have been awakened from a 500-year slumber. Next, we will take you to an exhibition of arhat sculptures, which combines the nation's traditional and contemporary arts.

[Pkg]

​With a stubby nose and a kind smile, This statue, holding round beads in both hands, depicts a Buddhist saint who achieved enlightenment called arhat. Each infant-sized statue perfectly symbolizes common emotions of ordinary human beings, including sorrow, happiness, anger and pleasure.

[Soundbite] CHOI SUN-JOO(NATIONAL MUSEUM of KOREA) : "In some aspects, these statues are special, since they are affectionately described as boys, rather than arhats."

The smiley arhats are displayed among high walls consisting of some 700 secondhand speakers. They represent those who calmly and quietly search for the internal voice while living in a noisy concrete jungle.

[Soundbite] KIM SEUNG-YOUNG(ARTIST) : "It gives a strange feeling. It touches the emotions of people and helps us discover the point we rarely notice in our everyday lives."

The 88 statues on display are part of roughly 300 arhats excavated at the site of Changnyeong-sa Temple in Yeongwol, Gangwon-do Province, in 2001. They were buried 500 years ago.

[Soundbite] SEO JI-WON(INCHEON RESIDENT) : "Throughout the exhibition, there were signs saying, "Look into the arhat inside your heart." I could think about that a lot."

The exhibition showcases the intrinsic beauty of the nation's cultural assets and how they harmoniously blend with contemporary art. It's on until June.