Permanent Exhibition (Indoor)
In the past, people believed that if a beoksu with a human face stood at the entrance of the village or along a roadside, malevolent spirits or disease-bringing demons would be frightened and unable to enter the village. Beoksu were also thought to possess mysterious powers that could ward off misfortune and bring good fortune, so villagers sincerely prayed to them with many wishes, both great and small.
Beoksu Gallery
Beoksu is a pure Korean term used in the Gyeonsang and Jeolla regions to refer to jangseung. There are two types of jangseung: a wooden jangseung and a stone jangseung. Wooden jangseung were easily damaged by wind and rain, they had to be replaced periodically because their original forms could change over time. However, Stone jangseung were preserved semi-permanently once erected, allowing for more diverse approaches to sculptural form and aesthetic expression.
It was believed that placing a jangseung with a human face at the entrance of a village would prevent disease-bringing spirits or evil entities from entering. These figures were also regarded as possessing mystical powers to ward off disasters and bring blessings, leading villagers to offer sincere prayers and wishes to the village beoksu. Beoksu were not created by professional craftsmen, but rather by villagers who had knowledge, experience, or familiarity with making jangseung. As a result, their forms were not standardized but instead shaped according to the collective needs of the community at a given time. For this reason, beoksu are stone sculptures that existed close to the lives of ordinary people, characterized by innocent expressions and humorous, playful featires that vividly reflect their joys and sorrows.
The Faces of Koreans, Singing Joy, Anger, Sorrow, and Pleasure
Beoksu GalleryThe Faces of Koreans, Singing Joy, Anger, Sorrow, and Pleasure
Beoksu carved with a Horse
Beoksu playing a Flute
Beoksu holding a Sword and a Crane
Beoksu carved with a Turtle
