The Chinese Lions Safeguarded by Kansong Returned Home After 90 Years

Kansong Art Museum and National Museum of Korea Officially Transfer Artifacts to China's National Cultural Heritage Administration
Qing Dynasty Artifacts That Guarded Bohwagak Since Their Purchase in Japan in 1933
Donation Commemorates the 120th Anniversary of Kansong's Birth

The stone guardian lions that had watched over Bohwagak in Seongbuk-dong, Seoul for nearly 90 years completed their final duty on July 23. At the donation ceremony held at the Kansong Art Museum, Yu Hongjun, Director of the National Museum of Korea, and Rao Quan, Director of China's National Cultural Heritage Administration, signed a "Certificate of Handover and Receipt of Cultural Property." The pair of Qing Dynasty stone lion statues then began the transportation process to China. This moment marked the return of a cultural relic—once brought into Korea via a Japanese auction house—back to its original cultural sphere after more than nine decades.

A pair of Qing Dynasty stone lions from China placed at the main gate of Bohwagak at the Kansong Art Museum. National Museum of Korea

The National Museum of Korea and the Kansong Art Museum held a donation ceremony for the pair of Qing Dynasty stone lions at the Kansong Art Museum in Seongbuk-dong, Seoul on this day. This is a follow-up measure to implement the donation agreement that was signed during the Korea-China summit at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing in January of this year.

This donation is distinct from the repatriation of looted cultural property. The stone lion statues were put up for auction by Yamanaka & Co., a Japanese dealer, at the “Stone Lantern Outdoor Exhibition” held in Ashiya, Hyogo Prefecture in the 1930s, during the Japanese colonial period. At that time, the auction also featured Korean stone relics dispersed in Kyoto, Nara, Tokyo, and elsewhere, along with some Chinese stone artifacts. Jeon Hyungpil Kansong participated in the auction to safeguard Goryeo and Joseon stone relics, and in the process acquired this pair of stone lions as well. The auction catalog listed them as "a pair of Ming Dynasty marble lions."

After Bohwagak opened in 1938, the stone lion statues continuously guarded its main gate. Experts from China's National Cultural Heritage Administration, after evaluation, concluded that the statues were from the Qing Dynasty, and are presumed to be “stone guardian lions for mansion gates” made of marble from the Beijing or North China region. The male lion, with its paw on a ball, symbolizes authority, while the female lion, gently touching a cub, represents prosperity—traditional iconography reflecting Chinese symbolism. The statues were evaluated as possessing historical, artistic, and scientific value.

A photo of Jeon Hyungpil Kansong taken at his birthplace in Jongno in 1960. National Museum of Korea

During his lifetime, Kansong frequently expressed his belief that "since this is a Chinese artifact, it would be best to return it to its homeland someday." Upholding Kansong's wishes, the Kansong Art Museum began working toward this donation in 2016, and in this year—marking the 120th anniversary of Kansong's birth—finally saw the effort come to fruition.

The museum defined this donation not only as "serving the nation through culture," but also as the practice of "cultural respect," returning even foreign cultural heritage to its rightful place. Additionally, an exhibition focusing on ancient Korea-China cultural exchange is being planned for this fall in Hangzhou, China.

In the spot now vacated by the stone lion statues at the front of Bohwagak, a 19th-century Korean stone tiger statue will be installed to welcome visitors.

Jeon Ingeon, Director of the Kansong Art Museum, announced, "With this donation, we plan to further expand cultural exchange and public diplomacy with China."

Yu Hongjun, Director of the National Museum of Korea, stated, "In keeping with Kansong's legacy of defending the nation through culture, we have established a new milestone in Korea-China cultural communication and solidarity."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.