Twelve Zodiacal Animals |Korean Zodiacal Animal Screens, early
20th century, stone rubbings , ink on paper, twelve rubbings
mounted on a pair of screens; anonymous loan| July 11, 2009 -
May 30, 2010 According to Chinese astrology and lunar calendar,
the year 2009 is the year of the Ox, and 2010 the year of the
Tiger. Stone rubbings representing the twelve zodiacal animals,
mounted on a pair of screens, are on view at the Worcester Art
Museum. The rubbings were made from the twelve large stone
reliefs that surround the tomb of the Korean general Kim Yusin
(595-673 A.D.), situated near Gyeongju, in southeastern Korea.
Listed in order, the animals are Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon,
Snake, Horse, Ram, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. An accomplished
swordsman and field commander of the Kingdom of Silla, Kim Yusin
devoted his life to the unification of the Three Kingdoms of the
Korean peninsula. He was amply rewarded during his lifetime for
his victorious feats and upon his death a tomb was built in his
honor that r