Greetings from a Seoul museum, where Buddhist masterpieces offer calm away from city bustle

The National Museum of Korea is a short walk from my home, set among bamboo groves and pagodas. Inside, the Room of Quiet Contemplation houses two of the nation's most treasured artworks. This gilt-bronze bodhisattva statue from the early 7th century sits along with one other bodhisattva dating to the 6th century. Both are placed on a round platform in the dimly lit room. Ambient sounds suggesting deep outer — or inner — space play in a loop. …