2015개정 영어1 능률(김) 4과 본문

 

영어1 능률김 4과.hwp

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영어1 능률김 4과

 

Yunju, a high school student, went to a Korean art exhibition. She wrote a report about her experience to share with her class. Last week, I visited an exhibition of artwork and ancient items selected from the Kansong Art Museum's collection. The exhibition included information about the man who gathered all of the artwork displayed there. His name was Jeon Hyeongpil, but he is better known by his pen name, Kansong.

 

He was born into a rich family in 1906 and lived through the Japanese occupation of Korea. At the age of 24, he inherited a massive fortune. After carefully thinking about what he could do for his country, he decided to use the money to protect Korea's cultural heritage from the Japanese. This decision was greatly influenced by his mentor, Oh Sechang, who was an independence activist and had keen insight into Korean art. With Oh's guidance and his own convictions, Kansong devoted most of his fortune to acquiring old books, paintings, and other works of art. He considered these items the pride of the nation and believed they represented the national spirit. Without his actions, they would have been destroyed or taken overseas. As soon as I walked in, I could not help but admire some ink-and-water paintings by Jeong Seon, a famous Korean artist also known as Gyeomjae. These paintings were kept in an album called the Haeak jeonsincheop. They depict the beautiful scenery of Geumgangsan Mountain and its surrounding areas. The way Gyeomjae painted the mountains, rivers, and valleys makes them look very inviting. I was shocked when the museum tour guide said that the album was almost burned as kindling. Fortunately, it was rescued at the last minute and later purchased by Kansong. Knowing that these beautiful paintings were nearly turned to ashes made me feel very sad. I am thankful that these paintings are still around so that future generations can also appreciate them.

 

The next item that impressed me was a gorgeous porcelain vase called the Celadon Prunus Vase with Inlaid Cloud and Crane Design. It is a pleasant shade of green, with a lovely pattern of clouds and cranes encircling the entire vase. The cranes seem to be alive and stretching their wings in search of freedom. Kansong bought the vase from a Japanese art dealer in 1935. With the money he spent on it, Kansong could have bought 20 nice houses! Later, a different Japanese collector offered double the price Kansong had paid for the vase. However, Kansong refused to part with it because he knew that it was the most magnificent vase of its kind. Today it is listed as one of Korea's National Treasures. Seeing it in person was an absolutely breathtaking experience!

 

Finally, I saw the one item in the museum that I will never forget – an original copy of the Hunminjeongeum Haerye. This ancient book was written in 1446, and it explains the ideas and principles behind the creation of Hangeul, the writing system of the Korean language. It was found in Andong in 1940. At that time, however, Korea was still occupied by Japan. The Japanese colonial government intended to get rid of the Korean language. Schools were forbidden to teach lessons in Korean, and scholars who studied Korean were arrested. From the moment he heard that the Hunminjeongeum Haerye had been discovered, Kansong couldn't stop thinking about it. He knew he had to protect it at all costs. After years of waiting, he was finally able to obtain the book. He purchased it at ten times the price the owner was asking and carefully hid it in his house. When the Japanese were finally defeated, he was able to share it with the rest of Korea. The guide said that the Hunminjeongeum Haerye is the museum's most precious treasure. Without it, the origins and fundamentals of Hangeul would have been lost to history. It has since been designated a National Treasure of Korea and included in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register. Looking at the ancient book, I could feel Kansong's strong commitment to preserving Korean history.

 

Standing in the middle of the exhibition hall, surrounded by Korean art, I could not stop thinking about Kansong. He was an amazing person! He did not collect art for his personal enjoyment. He did it to protect Korea's cultural identity during the harsh Japanese colonial period. After Korea regained its independence, he stopped collecting art, as he knew it would safely remain in Korea. During our country's worst time, a single man was able to defend Korea's national spirit and pride. Thanks to him, we are still able to experience an essential part of Korean culture today. Founded in 1938, the Kansong Art Museum was Korea's first private museum. When Kansong built it, he named it Bohwagak. He used the building as a place to store all of the important cultural items he had collected over the years. Kansong died in 1962, and Bohwagak was renamed the Kansong Art Museum in 1966. It now holds about 5,000 items, including 12 Korean National Treasures.