calendar>>December 4. 2020 Juche 109
Korean Nation's Superior Stone Sculpture
Pyongyang, December 4 (KCNA) -- The Korean ancestors, who made the Koryo celadon famous in the world, had fully displayed their wisdom and skills in the field of stone sculpture as well.

It is well evidenced by the historical sites and relics preserved in their original state in Kaesong City of the DPRK, the then capital of Koryo Kingdom (918-1392).

Typical are decorative sculptures at the mausoleum of King Kyonghyo, situated at the foot of Mt Pongmyong in Haeson-ri of the city, which show the medieval stone sculpture.

Among them are symbolic animals embossed in twelve-fold stone screen, stone handrail, stone stairs, stone post, stone altar, stone lantern and stone sheep and stone tigers around the mausoleum. In particular, two granite-stone figures depicting a military officer and a civil official are estimated as the best of the old stone sculptures kept in the country until now.

At the Ryongthong Temple in Ryonghung-dong of the city, there is also a monument called Taegakguksabi, which is propped by a stone turtle. Engraved on the front and back sides of the monument are patterns of phoenix and flower.

The Hyonhwa Temple's seven-storied pagoda at the Koryo Museum is big in size and grand in shape and a lot of Buddhist figures carved in each storey of the pagoda are exquisite and lifelike.

Besides, there are a dragon head sculpture at Manwoldae royal palace site, a stone lantern at the Kaeguk Temple, a five-storied pagoda at the Pulil Temple, a pagoda at the Hungguk Temple and other relics showing the Korean nation's excellent stone sculpture.

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