Kansong Art Museum to donate stone lion statues guarding entrance to China

A pair of stone lion statues that have stood guard at the entrance of Kansong Art Museum — the nation’s first private art museum — in Korea since its opening are set to return to China.

A pair of stone lion statues stands in front of Bohwagak at Kansong Art Museum in Seongbuk District, central Seoul. [NATIONAL MUSEUM OF KOREA]

A pair of stone lion statues that have stood guard at the entrance of Kansong Art Museum — the nation’s first private art museum — in Korea since its opening are set to return to China.

The decision comes after the museum in Seongbuk District, central Seoul, conveyed its intention to donate the statues to China in accordance with the wishes of Kansong, a move that Beijing has accepted. The statues are believed by Chinese authorities to be from China’s Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

The museum was named after its founder, Chun Hyung-pil (1906–1962), also known as Kansong. Chun was a Korean collector who purchased Korean and other artifacts during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule.

The museum was originally called Bohwgak when it was built in 1938, and changed its name in 1966. The museum has remained in the same location for 87 years.

The deal was sealed on Monday after You Hong-june, director of the National Museum of Korea, signed an agreement on the donation of the Qing-era stone lions with Rao Quan, head of China’s National Cultural Heritage Administration, at a ceremony held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, according to the museum on Monday.

The National Museum of Korea had been pursuing the donation on behalf of Kansong Art Museum, and the agreement was finalized on the occasion of Monday’s Korea–China summit. President Lee Jae Myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the signing ceremony.

A pair of stone lion statues stands in front of Bohwagak at Kansong Art Museum in Seongbuk District, central Seoul. [NATIONAL MUSEUM OF KOREA]

The stone lions were purchased in 1933 by Chun at an auction in Japan along with other artifacts. The male and female pair stand 1.9 meters (6 feet, 3 inches) tall and weigh about 1.25 tons. They were installed at the entrance of Bohwagak — the predecessor of Kansong Art Museum and an exhibition hall for artifacts.

In China, stone lion statues are believed to ward off evil spirits and bring wealth, usually placed at the main gates of homes or in front of tombs.

Believing that they are cultural assets valuable to China, Chun sought to return the lions to China at some point, according to the Kansong Art Museum.

The museum had pursued the donation independently when it built a new storage facility in 2016, but the effort was later suspended. The process resumed after You took the helm as the director of the National Museum of Korea and ultimately culminated in the latest agreement.

A pair of stone lion statues stands in front of Bohwagak at Kansong Art Museum in Seongbuk District, central Seoul. [NATIONAL MUSEUM OF KOREA]

Ahead of the donation, five experts from China’s National Cultural Heritage Administration visited Kansong Art Museum to appraise the statues. They concluded that the works date to the Qing Dynasty and possess historical, artistic and scientific value.

Based on the stone material, they assessed that marble from Beijing or northern China was used, and that the refined craftsmanship and decorative details suggest the statues once stood at the gate of a royal residence, or wangfu.

With the agreement now in place, the statues are expected to be transferred to China in the near future. Their final destination has not been disclosed.

“This donation, marking the 120th anniversary of Kansong’s birth this year, aspires to serve as an opportunity for more active cultural exchanges between the two countries,” the museum said.

“The donation will stand as a firm symbol of cultural cooperation and the strengthening of friendly ties between Korea and China,” said You.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY KANG HYE-RAN [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]