UNSRC Korean Cultural Society

Two horns circled in red are viewed in this infrared photograph of Cheonmado (Heavenly Horse painting). /Courtesy of the National Museum of Korea

The only surviving painting from the Shilla Kingdom Cheonmado or “Heavenly Horse painting” thought to date from the 6th century, might have to be renamed. The National Museum of Korea on Sunday said an infrared photograph of “Cheonmado” taken during preparations for a special exhibition to celebrate 100th anniversary of the first museum in Korea which starts Tuesday clearly reveals two horns that had been invisible to date.

The shape of the animal, which is hard to make out with the bare eye, is very clearly visible in the 12-megapixel infrared photograph exclusively obtained by the Chosun Ilbo. The head has two symmetrical horns and a big ethereal mane. Kang Woo-bang, a former director of the Gyeongju National Museum, said, “It is certain that this is a painting of a qilin, a mythical creature in the form of horse with two horns. It’s in typical Koguryo style, and it seems the painting was produced in Koguryo and then moved to Shilla.”

The painting was found in Gyeongju, the Shilla capital, in 1973, and the excavation team at the time named it Cheonmado, or “Painting of Heavenly Horse” because it seemed to portray a horse flying in the sky. It was designated National Treasure no. 207. The tomb where the painting was found was named Cheonmachong, Heavenly Horse tomb.

Ahn Hwi-joon, the former head of the government’s Cultural Heritage Committee said, “In Asia, a flying horse is not a spiritual being, but a qilin is a sacred and auspicious animal that also symbolizes a wise king. Since the painting was found in the tomb of a Shilla king, there is every chance that the animal in the painting is actually a spiritual qilin.”