The best way to gain the attention of visitors and attract business to one’s country is by making connections and creating invisible bonds.

“I came to my homeland,” Jeon Woon-Deok said, Chief Monk of Cheon Tae Sect of Korea, when he visited Gandhara of Pakistan.

“We are so close, yet so far away,” said Park Kyo-soon, a research scholar of Gandhara art of Pakistan. “The Korean traditional culture is Buddhism-centric and Korean Mahayana Buddhism comes from Gandhara. Therefore, speaking of culture, Korea has a natural bond with Pakistan.”

To revive the ancient link, a photographic exhibition of Buddhist Heritage in Pakistan was presented by the Pakistan Embassy, Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Pakistan and the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at Namu Gallery in the Jogye Temple on July 22.

Gandhara art has a very important place in the world’s art history because the first Buddha statues in human form originated there, amalgamating both Western and Eastern cultures. The realistic and beautiful depictions of Buddha statues caused the Buddhist art to flourish.

Also, Park Hee-do, chairman of National Buddhist Council for Security of Korea, said “Korea will help to revive Pakistan’s Buddhism (artifacts) and make Gandhara a Mecca of Buddhists.”

“Through this exhibition, I want people of two countries to be closer in understanding their cultural heritage and furthermore, both countries would find new potentials of each country and actively invest.” said Shuakt Ali Mukadam, Ambassador of Pakistan to the Republic of Korea.

By Kim Hee-jung (hk1001@nyu.edu)