• Title/Summary/Keyword: Ornamentation

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Researches on the Case Study of Facade Greening in East Europe (동유럽의 건물벽면녹화에 관한 사례 연구)

  • Park, Yong-Jin
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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    • v.11 no.1
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    • pp.23-32
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    • 2008
  • In order to discern the development of technology in creating, properly managing, and characterizing the types used in facade greening, this article examines the instances of facade greening of Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey which is not only located in the latitude similar to South Korea's but also influenced by the both continental and oceanic climate. The study was carried out for 11 months from October 2002 to September 2003. The total 242 places were researched and they were 83 sites in Athens, 77 sites in Istanbul, and 82 sites in Sofia. Varieties, usage, configuration, foundation and characteristics of plants were studied. The goals of greening, and building's surface roughness and thickness, direction of the wall were also researched. The result of survey are as follows; 17 families and 33 species of climbing plants were found in Athens, Istanbul, and Sofia. Thickness of facade greening in the three cities is 46cm in Athens, 39cm in Istanbul, and 53cm in Sofia. The possible facade greening size per a climbing plant, Parthenocissus tricupidata takes up the largest portion of the wall in the three cities similarly followed by Vitis vinifera and Wistaria spp. By its diversity it can be assumed that these plants are most practical for large scale of facade greening and full covering. Evergreen climbing plants such as Hedera helix and Ficus niponica are useful plants for relatively large scale of facade greening area. In the facade greening types, the climbing type is the most dominant in the three cities and most of the climbing type was planted on the natural foundation but the hanging and combination types were planted on an artificial foundation located on the balcony or on the roof of the building. In the directions of the walls for facade greening, the west direction are most popular which is for the improvement of sun shading in summer season. In Sofia the apartments were most applied with facade greening but In Istanbul and Athens the residential buildings and the public buildings were adapted with facade greening actively as well as residential building. The purpose of lowering summer heat took up the highest portion followed by the purpose of ornamentation and maintaining privacy in all surveyed cities.

A Study on Error Analysis of Words Used in Shiji Liezhuan Presented in the Great Chinese-Korean Dictionary (『한한대사전(漢韓大辭典)』에 수록된 『사기(史記)·열전(列傳)』 관련어휘 오류연구(誤謬硏究))

  • Choi, Tae-Hoon
    • Cross-Cultural Studies
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    • v.40
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    • pp.213-238
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    • 2015
  • This article attempts to correct errors in five words related to Shiji (The Grand Scribe's Records) Liezhuan (A Series of Biographies), which are presented in the Great Chinese-Korean Dictionary. The author analyses the problems with meaning interpretations of three words and additional meaning interpretations of two words. The main points of the study are presented in the following. First, in relation to the error correction in meaning interpretation, this study finds out that the explanations of "jiayu," "jiaochi," and "guancai" in the Great Chinese-Korean Dictionary are incorrect. Most of the cases include plausible interpretations of the words that are likely to cause readers to be confused with the meanings. Each of the words should be interpreted as "lend${\rightarrow}$give," "arrangement${\rightarrow}$new decoration, ornamentation, or embellishment after removing old one," and "accept something carefully or accept something after inspection${\rightarrow}$look over carefully or search for something." Second, as for the supplementary correction, this study points out that the explanations of "xiaoshi" and "shennian" are not sufficient. The following meanings for each word should be added, including "display skills" and " be trapped inside one's own mind." Furthermore, when comparing with the different translation versions by scholars at home and abroad, we can come to a following conclusion. The interpretations made by Zheng, Fan-Zhen are the most accurate for the "jiayu" item. With respect to the "jiaochi" item, the interpretations given by Piao, Yi- Feng; Wang, Li-Qi; Yang, Zhong-Xian; and Hao, Zhi-Da are relatively appropriate. The "guancai" item is adequately interpreted by Piao, Yi-Feng and Wang, Li-Qi. In the meaning interpretation of the "xiaoshi," Jin, Yuan- Zhong gave correct explanations. In addition, it is considered that Wang, Zhong provided the most ideal translations for the item "shennian."

A Study on the Hwaban-chogak of the Neungwon-Jeongjagak (능원 정자각의 화반초각에 대하여)

  • Jeon, Jong Woo
    • Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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    • v.51 no.4
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    • pp.24-43
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    • 2018
  • Thirty-five of Hwaban of Jeongjagak had been built in the last three hundred years, which means a Hwaban was made in almost every ten years. Jeongjagak is a building that requires a certain ornamentation having the identical Gongpo type, called E-ikgong, and maintains the same shape for a long time. While Hwaban is an element that faithfully serves the ornamental role, the field study found that Hwaban-chogak went through various changes over the years unlikely to Jeongjagak. This study enumerates and classifies the various types of Hwaban-chgak by outlining the similarities/differences of the various types of Hwavanchogak, and by discovering what the craftsmen aimed to express through the Hwaban-chogaks. As a result, Hwaban-chogak can be generally divided into two categories depending on the starting point of Chogak: 'Downward-Type' and 'Upward-type' and the study tried to find the origin of that. The first represents the stems of Hwaban crafts flowing from top to bottom, and the latter showing the opposite direction. Around 1740s Upward-type can be chronologically caragorised as; 'original- type' which contains lotus and 'modified- type' which eliminates lotus. It is inferred that the modified-type was caused by the employment system of the craftsmen. It is also recognized that the main frame of Hwaban-chogak had been maintained despite the fact that Chogak became increasingly ornamental for the next a hundred years from the Hwaban-chogak drawings in Whaseong-seongyeog-uigwe, which was completed in 1796. The study has a limitation that the focus of the research is only on the Hwaban of Jeongjagak and expected to look into Hwaban in the context of other construction elements such as Ikgong, Daegong and Anchogong for further studies.

Microsporogenesis of Hibiscus syriacus L and Its Sporoderm Differentiation (무궁화의 화분형성 및 화분벽의 분화발달)

  • 김인선
    • Journal of Plant Biology
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    • v.38 no.1
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    • pp.95-105
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    • 1995
  • Complete microsporogenesis of Hibiscus syriacus L. were carried out employing LM, TEM, and SEM to investigate the pollen ontogeny that undergoes considerable structural differentiation. The process first began with several cell diYisions in the anther primordium that produces 3 different tissues of epidennal, archesporial, and connective tissues. Only archesporial tissue involved further differentiation into the tapetum and formation of reproductive cells, pollen mother cells (PMC). The tapetum and PMC were closely associated with each other structurally and metabolically by exhibiting numerous plasmodesmata, mitochondria, and many small vacuoles in their dense cytoplasm. A callosic wall began to surround the PMC while meiosis took place in the PMC to produce 4 microspores. When thick callose encircled each microspore as a frame, the sporodenn development initiated from the plasma membrane of a pollen grain in a tetrad. The first fonned sporoderm layer was bacules and tectum of sexine that originated from the plasma membrane. After the dissolution of a callose, further development Qf sporoderm continued in the order of nexine 1, nexine 2, and intine layer. The nexine layer was thicker (ca. $2-3.5\;\mu\textrm{m}$) than the intine layer whose thickness was about $0.9-1.5\;\mu\textrm{m}$. Upon completion of the sporoderm development, that is after intine formation, spines and apertures of pollen surface ornamentation initiated from the tectum. Spines were dimorphic, about $4-9\;\mu\textrm{m}\;an;15-20\;\mu\textrm{m}$ in length, and no basal cushion was detected. The mature pollen grains ranged $100-200\;\mu\textrm{m}$ in diameter, but their average was about $170\;\mu\textrm{m}$. About 120 spines were observed over the spheroidal pollen surface. Apertures were simple punctures of $2-3\;\mu\textrm{m}$ in diameter and about 50 apertures were arranged somewhat helically over the surface. Comparing such features of form and size of the pollen, sporodenn sculpture and structure, and aperture and spine conditions with known evolutionary trends in the genus Hibiscus, Hibiscus syriacus seemed to possess many advanced features in the sporodenn differentiation.iation.

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The Development and Originality of Wind Chimes of the Goryeo Dynasty (고려시대 풍탁(風鐸)의 전개와 독창성)

  • Lee, Young-sun
    • Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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    • v.52 no.2
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    • pp.292-307
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    • 2019
  • Buddhists have always tended to adorn and embellish Buddhist statues and their surrounding spaces in order to exhibit the grandeur and sublime nature of the Buddha. The various kinds of splendid instruments and implements used in such ornamentation are collectively called jangeomgu in Korean. Thus, the term jangeomgu encompasses articles used to decorate Buddhist statues, halos, and baldachin, as well as Buddhist banners and wind chimes, which are generally hung outside a building. Wind chimes are still widely used at Buddhist temples. In China, judging from various structures such as the Wooden Stupa of Yongningsi in Luoyang and the Dunhuang Caves, wind chimes began to be used around the sixth century. As for Korea, Buddhism was first introduced from China during the Three Kingdoms Period, and Koreans accordingly began to build Buddhist temples and buildings. It would appear that wind chimes came to be used around the time that the first temples were built. The oldest extant wind chime in Korea is the gilt-bronze wind chime of Baekje, discovered at the Mireuksa Temple Site in Iksan. In general, Korean wind chimes dating from the Three Kingdoms Period are classified into two general types according to their shape and elevation, i.e., those shaped like a Buddhist bell and those shaped like a trapezoid. As these two forms of wind chimes have influenced each other over time, those made during the Goryeo dynasty, having inherited the style, structure, and design of the preceding period, display such features. At the same time, the artisans who produced wind chimes pursued technical development and adopted free, yet not extravagant, designs. In particular, Goryeo wind chimes are characterized by original designs created through exchanges with other Buddhist art forms of the same period, such as the embossed lotus design band of Goryeo bells; the bullmun design, which served to display the grandeur of the royal family; the samhwanmun design, which consisted of decorating the interior of a Goryeo incense burner with three holes; Sanskrit designs; and designs inspired by the windows and doors of stone pagodas. In this way, the production of Goryeo wind chimes developed with a focus on purpose while being free of formal constraints. This study started out from the fact that the largest number of Korean wind chimes were produced during the Goryeo dynasty. Therefore, research on wind chimes should be based on those of the Goryeo dynasty, especially since fewer relevant studies have been conducted compared to studies on other forms of Buddhist art. For the purposes of this study, the reasons for the production of wind chimes will be examined first, followed by an examination of the various styles of Korean wind chimes. Then, based on the findings of this investigation, the development and characteristics of the wind chimes produced during the Goryeo dynasty will be explored for each period.

A Study of the Golden Royal Seals Made by the Directorate for the Restoration of the Golden Royal Seals(金寶改造都監) in 1705 (1705년 금보개조도감(金寶改造都監) 제작 금보 연구)

  • Je, Ji-Hyeon
    • Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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    • v.50 no.1
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    • pp.42-57
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    • 2017
  • The Joseon Dynasty (1392~1910) had a long tradition of making official seals to commemorate the granting of official royal titles, including posthumous honorary titles, to its kings, queens, crown princes and queen dowagers. These royal seals were typically gold-plated or made of jade. After the death of its holder, each seal would be stored in the royal seal depository in the Royal Ancestral Shrine. Extensive efforts were made to restore the traditions and culture of the royal family of Joseon during the reign of King Sukjong (r. 1674~1720). In 1705, discussions were held about the royal ceremonial objects, including the royal seals, stored in the Royal Ancestral Shrine, resulting in the reproduction of a set of accessories related with the storage of royal seals and ten golden royal seals which had been lost during wars or had yet to be made. With these reproductions, each shrine chamber of the Royal Ancestral Shrine would have had at least one seal. The details of the reproduction project were meticulously recorded in The Royal Protocol by the Directorate for the Restoration of Golden Royal Seals("金寶改造都監儀軌"). Given that the restoration project was the single event that led to the reproduction of all the golden royal seals, it is reasonable to conclude that the directorate had fulfilled a historically significant function. In this study, the main discussion is focused on the establishment of the directorate and the storage and management of the damaged royal seals. The discussion includes the manufacturing process of the golden seals, for which The Royal Protocol is compared with other similar documents in order to gain more detailed knowledge of the measurements of the turtle knob, the lost-wax casting technique, the gold plating with mercury amalgamation technique, and other ornamentation techniques. The discussion also covers the activities of the artisans who made the royal seals, based on a study of the royal protocols; the styles of the artifacts, based on an examination of the remaining examples; and the techniques used by the Directorate for the Restoration of Golden Royal Seals to produce the royal seals in 1705.

A Study on the "Holing-Bowl(받침그릇, 承盤) for the Jung-Byoung(정병, 淨甁)" or The Sacred Water-pot (정병 받침그릇(淨甁 承盤) 살핌 -고려불화(佛畵)-수월관음그림(水月觀音圖)으로 -)

  • Ghang, soon-hyoung
    • Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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    • v.34
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    • pp.124-136
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    • 2001
  • Among many different types of wares, we have amazing Sacred Water-pot(따르개, 注子) from Goryo-period(고리, 高麗, 918-1392). The stylistic peculiarity of Jung-Byoung(정병, 淨甁) is described in "Goryo-Dhogyoung, 고리도경, 高麗圖經", the classical design canon. It is said, "A sharpened mouth with narrow and prolonged neck is attached upon the broad mouth with thicker and even longer neck of the pot whose body intimates to the shape of melon." One could find this Jung-Byoung similar to the Indian drinking water jar, Kundika, which has been. even today, an everyday article in houses as well as in temples. In the early Buddhist cult, the object had been adopted as personal belonging of the Bodhisattvas(보살, 菩薩), especially of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara(관세음보살,觀世音菩薩). In short, the purifying character of water is met by the sacred ware to deliver the refreshing Sweet-Water(Holy-Water, 깨맑물, 단물, 단이슬물, 정수, 감로, 감로수, 성수, 淨水, 甘露, 甘露水, 聖水): For the holy purpose of fulfilling the thirst of people, of symbolozing the virtuous dharma. Thus, Ggamslkh-Byoung(깨맑병,淨水), the literal Korean name, denotes purifying and clarifying and clarifying water-pot to us. Among many other Asian countries, India, China, Korea, and Japan have a profound cult of the sacred water-pot(Ggamalkh-Byoung, Jung-Byoung, 깨맑병, 정병, 정수병, 감로병, 감로수병, 淨甁, 淨水甁, 甘露甁, 甘露水甁). Therefore, this charming holy object drew much attention not only from master artisans to shape and deliver them to people but also from painters and sculptors for their endowment of the sacred images dedicated to Buddha(부처,佛,佛陀). In China, the sacred water pot emerged in the period of Tang(당, 唐, 618~907)-Period and underwent much sophistication later on, I. e., from earthenware, ceramic-porcelain, bronze, and silver. However, the following represents a challenge to the well-known Goryo-Thangka(고리불화, 高麗佛畵) Painting of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara to our speculation on the Sacred Water-pot(정병, 淨甁). The image suggests, when examined closely, that the Sacred Water-pot has been accompanied by, or placed in, a transparent glasswere(유리그릇) or crystalbowl(수정그릇)! We have no other physical proof of the existence of such a Holding-Bowl(받침그릇, 承盤), except for in this particular painting. This Holding-Bowl would have not been a mere elaboration on the practicality of controling the drips from the mouth of the pot. As in the chapter on Tang-ho(탕호, 湯壺), or thermal bowl, in the "Goryo-Dhogyoung" it advises readers that this style of bowl is to be filled with hot water, and thus function as a preserver of heat in the water inside the pot. As an offering to the Buddha, the Sacred Water-pot could have been used for serving him hot tea. Hence the sacred bottle is to contain the refreshing water, the water transcends to nectar, and the nectar is prepared as a nectar tea to offer the Buddha. For both the Holding-Bowl of Ggamalkh-Byoung(Jung-Byoung)and the Celestial-Robe(날개옷, 天衣) of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, whose specified character is the Water-Moon(수월, 水月) in this particular Thangka(불화, 佛畵) painting, the transparency is essential. This is to refer to the purity and the lucid clarity of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara and at a deeper level, to refer to the world of Buddhas-the Tushita(Paradise, Heaven, Eden, 극락, 불세계, 極樂, 佛世界). Howerver, without the discovery of an actual Holding-Bowl, accompanied by a Sacred Water-pot, such speculation will necessarily remain hypothetical. Nevertheless, there is an abundance of evidence of our ancient craftsmanship in jade and ctystal, dating back to the Bronze Age(1000~2B.C.) in Korea. By the time of the Three Kingdom-Period(삼국시대, 三國時代, 57B.C.~935A.D.), and especially the Silla(신라, 新羅, 57B.C.~935A.D.)-Empire, the jade and crystal ornamentation had become very intricate indeed. By the Goryo-Period(918~1392) and Chosun-Period(조선, 朝鮮,1392~1910),crystal-ware and jade art were popular in houses and Buddhist temples, whose master artsanship was heightened in the numerous Sarira-Cases(사리그릇, 舍利器), containing relics and placed inside Stupas(탑, 투, 搭)! Therefore, discovering a tiny part of the crystal or jade Holding-Bowl for the Sacred Water-pot and casting full light on this subject, would not be totally impossible. Lastly the present article shares the tiny hope for a sudden emergence of such a Holding-Bowl.

A Study on the Methods of Mounting the Five Peaks Screen - With the focus on green bordering silk and gilt ornamentation (궁중 의례용 일월오봉도 병풍의 장황에 관한 고찰 - 초록색 회장 비단과 금박 장식을 중심으로 -)

  • PARK, Yoonhee
    • Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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    • v.55 no.1
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    • pp.243-263
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    • 2022
  • The royal court of Joseon had a tradition of mounting the Irworobongdo, a painting of the sun, the moon and the five sacred peaks, symbols of the king's immortal presence and authority, on a folding screen and placing it in special spaces within the palace that were reserved for the king. While the Irworobongdo is generally accepted as the important ceremonial object of the royal palaces of Joseon, there have been few studies on the various folding screens used in the royal palaces, largely because the official records about such screens do not match the remaining original relics. In this study, the main discussion is focused on the diversity of the shapes and mounting materials of the Irworobongdoused for various ceremonies held in the royal palaces of Joseon based on the Uigwe, the official records of the royal protocols of the Joseon dynasty. The discussion also extends to the theme rarely studied so far, namely the original form of the Irworobongdo and its evolution in the following period. The ceremonial "five peak" folding screens (Obongbyeong) used at a number of important palace buildings, including the crown hall (Jeongjeon), royal funerary hall (Binjeon), spirit hall (Honjeon) and portrait shrine (Jinjeon), differed in shape and size from the folding screens used in royal celebratory events such as banquets, although the paintings themselves and the style of mounting them were essentially the same. The paintings were mounted on screens bordered with green silk and ornamented with floral gilt designs. The folding screens used in royal ceremonies were produced according to strict guidelines that required the ceremonies and mounting materials to be graded on the basis of the status of each screen. It was not until the 1960s that these ceremonial folding screens of the Joseon dynasty, which had been neglected during the period of Japanese colonial rule of Korea, began to undergo conservation treatment provided as part of a heritage preservation program. Unfortunately, many of the screens repaired in this period lost some of their original features - largely due to the use of non-traditional mounting techniques. Considering, however, that significant achievements have since been made in the heritage preservation field based on the use of historical evidence, it is now necessary to systematically use the repair history of the information about the remaining royal ceremonial folding screens to ensure that they are preserved and managed more effectively in the future.

The State Hermitage Museum·Northwest University for Nationalities·Shanghai Chinese Classics Publishing House Kuche Art Relics Collected in Russia Shanghai Chinese Classics Publishing House, 2018 (아라사국립애이미탑십박물관(俄羅斯國立艾爾米塔什博物館)·서북민족대학(西北民族大學)·상해고적출판사(上海古籍出版社) 편(編) 『아장구자예술품(俄藏龜玆藝術品)』, 상해고적출판사(上海古籍出版社), 2018 (『러시아 소장 쿠차 예술품』))

  • Min, Byung-Hoon
    • MISULJARYO - National Museum of Korea Art Journal
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    • v.98
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    • pp.226-241
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    • 2020
  • Located on the right side of the third floor of the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, the "Art of Central Asia" exhibition boasts the world's finest collection of artworks and artifacts from the Silk Road. Every item in the collection has been classified by region, and many of them were collected in the early twentieth century through archaeological surveys led by Russia's Pyotr Kozlov, Mikhail Berezovsky, and Sergey Oldenburg. Some of these artifacts have been presented around the world through special exhibitions held in Germany, France, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Korea, Japan, and elsewhere. The fruits of Russia's Silk Road expeditions were also on full display in the 2008 exhibition The Caves of One Thousand Buddhas - Russian Expeditions on the Silk Route on the Occasion of 190 Years of the Asiatic Museum, held at the Hermitage Museum. Published in 2018 by the Shanghai Chinese Classics Publishing House in collaboration with the Hermitage Museum, Kuche Art Relics Collected in Russia introduces the Hermitage's collection of artifacts from the Kuche (or Kucha) region. While the book focuses exclusively on artifacts excavated from the Kuche area, it also includes valuable on-site photos and sketches from the Russian expeditions, thus helping to enhance readers' overall understanding of the characteristics of Kuche art within the Buddhist art of Central Asia. The book was compiled by Dr. Kira Samosyuk, senior curator of the Oriental Department of the Hermitage Museum, who also wrote the main article and the artifact descriptions. Dr. Samosyuk is an internationally renowned scholar of Central Asian Buddhist art, with a particular expertise in the art of Khara-Khoto and Xi-yu. In her article "The Art of the Kuche Buddhist Temples," Dr. Samosyuk provides an overview of Russia's Silk Road expeditions, before introducing the historical development of Kuche in the Buddhist era and the aspects of Buddhism transmitted to Kuche. She describes the murals and clay sculptures in the Buddhist grottoes, giving important details on their themes and issues with estimating their dates, and also explains how the temples operated as places of worship. In conclusion, Dr. Samosyuk argues that the Kuche region, while continuously engaging with various peoples in China and the nomadic world, developed its own independent Buddhist culture incorporating elements of Gandara, Hellenistic, Persian, and Chinese art and culture. Finally, she states that the culture of the Kuche region had a profound influence not only on the Tarim Basin, but also on the Buddhist grottoes of Dunhuang and the central region of China. A considerable portion of Dr. Samosyuk's article addresses efforts to estimate the date of the grottoes in the Kuche region. After citing various scholars' views on the dates of the murals, she argues that the Kizil grottoes likely began prior to the fifth century, which is at least 100 years earlier than most current estimates. This conclusion is reached by comparing the iconography of the armor depicted in the murals with related materials excavated from the surrounding area (such as items of Sogdian art). However, efforts to date the Buddhist grottoes of Kuche must take many factors into consideration, such as the geological characteristics of the caves, the themes and styles of the Buddhist paintings, the types of pigments used, and the clothing, hairstyles, and ornamentation of the depicted figures. Moreover, such interdisciplinary data must be studied within the context of Kuche's relations with nearby cultures. Scientific methods such as radiocarbon dating could also be applied for supplementary materials. The preface of Kuche Art Relics Collected in Russia reveals that the catalog is the first volume covering the Hermitage Museum's collection of Kuche art, and that the next volume in the series will cover a large collection of mural fragments that were taken from Berlin during World War II. For many years, the whereabouts of these mural fragments were unknown to both the public and academia, but after restoration, the fragments were recently re-introduced to the public as part of the museum's permanent exhibition. We look forward to the next publication that focuses on these mural fragments, and also to future catalogs introducing the artifacts of Turpan and Khotan. Currently, fragments of the murals from the Kuche grottoes are scattered among various countries, including Russia, Germany, and Korea. With the publication of this catalog, it seems like an opportune time to publish a comprehensive catalog on the murals of the Kuche region, which represent a compelling mixture of East-West culture that reflects the overall characteristics of the region. A catalog that includes both the remaining murals of the Kizil grottoes and the fragments from different parts of the world could greatly enhance our understanding of the murals' original state. Such a book would hopefully include a more detailed and interdisciplinary discussion of the artifacts and murals, including scientific analyses of the pigments and other materials from the perspective of conservation science. With the ongoing rapid development in western China, the grotto murals are facing a serious crisis related to climate change and overcrowding in the oasis city of Xinjiang. To overcome this challenge, the cultural communities of China and other countries that possess advanced technology for conservation and restoration must begin working together to protect and restore the murals of the Silk Road grottoes. Moreover, centers for conservation science should be established to foster human resources and collect information. Compiling the data of Russian expeditions related to the grottoes of Kuche (among the results of Western archaeological surveys of the Silk Road in the early twentieth century), Kuche Art Relics Collected in Russia represents an important contribution to research on Kuche's Buddhist art and the Silk Road, which will only be enhanced by a future volume introducing the mural fragments from Germany. As the new authoritative source for academic research on the artworks and artifacts of the Kuche region, the book also lays the groundwork for new directions for future studies on the Silk Road. Finally, the book is also quite significant for employing a new editing system that improves its academic clarity and convenience. In conclusion, Dr. Kira Samosyuk, who planned the publication, deserves tremendous praise for taking the research of Silk Road art to new heights.