Description

This is a Nojang or monk mask from South Korea. Nojang, in traditional Korean culture, represents a drunkard monk who has jaundiced eyes and flies on his face (represented by white dots). In the Korean traditional drama known as the talchum, The high monk was so intense in his study of the Buddhist scripture that he did not even notice the flies landing on his face and leaving their "calling-cards." It's a mark of the rampant corruption of the monks (at least in the world of talchum) that even such a focused and devout head monk would fall into depravity.