Title : Special Postage Stamps for the "5000 Years of Korean Art" Exhibition
(4th Issue)
Stamp Serial#
 1151 
KPC#
 C-822 
MICHEL#
 1176 
StanGib#
 1406 
Scott#
 1179 
Date of Issue
 11/15/1979 
Quantity
 5,000,000 
Denomination
 20 won 
Design
 Hahoe Mask 
Designer
 Park Yeo-song 
Image Area
 23mm×33mm 
Perforation
 13 
Sheet Composition
 5×5 
Paper
 White unwatermarked
Print
 Government Printing & Mint Agency of the Republic of korea 
Description
In commemoration of an exhibition of 354 masterpieces representing "5000 years of Korean art", now being held in seven major cities of the United States, from May 1, 1979, through June 30, 1981, the Ministry of Communications has been issuing a series of Postage Stamps to give a fresh image of Korea as a nation with an abundant and unique cultural heritage of supreme quality. The following two Stamps to be issued this time are the last of the series to be issued this year, and the 4th Issue, overall:
1. Hahoe masks.
Hahoe Masks, National Treasure No. 121, were used in a ritual mask dance performed to sooth village gods enshrined in Sunghwang-dang, Kukshing-dang and Samshin-dang in Hahoe Village, Andong Country, Kyoungsang-pukto Province, and its vicinity from the days of the mid-Koryo Dynasty. Originally, the Hahoe Masks comprised a total of 12 wood-carved masks. Only nine of them have been bequeathed to date, however. These masks are more expressive than others, and some of them have moving parts with comic facial expressions. This mask drama is satirical about the gentry (Yangban), and used to play the role of a sort of social safety-valve for the Iower classes.

2. Golden Amitabha with halo.
Golden Amitabha with Halo, National Treasure No. 79, is one of the two statues discovered in June 1942, from a stone pagoda at the site of Hwangdok-sa Temple in the eastern outskirts of Kyongju, the ancient capital of the Shilla Dynasty. According to the letters inscribed thereon, this image was moulded in 706 A.D., during the period of United Shilla, and is now preserved at the National Museum of Korea in Seoul. The seated Buddha made of pure gold is only 12.2cm high, with his legs being concealed by a fall of drapery, and his right hand is raised in a gesture of blessing. The pedestal is composed of a downturned louts, a short column and upturned lotus that forms the seat.