Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Korean name | |
| Hangul: |
부여 능산리 출토 백제 금동 대향로
|
| Hanja: |
扶餘陵山里出土百濟金銅大香爐
|
| Revised Romanization: | Buyeo Neungsan-ri chulto Baekje geumdong daehyangno |
| McCune-Reischauer: | Puyŏ Nŭngsan-ri ch'ult'o Paekche kŭmdong tae-hyangno |
The Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje is the 287th National Treasure of Korea and it was designated on May 30, 1996. It is currently housed at the Buyeo National Museum. During an excavation of an ancient temple site in Neungsan-ri, Buyeo County in Chungcheongnam-do in 1993, the incense burner was the largest find among 450 artifacts excavated.
The Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje is a symbol of the artistry of the Baekje people and a masterpiece of Korean art.
The incense burner measures 64 centimeters in height, the body is 19 centimeters in diameter, and weighs 11.8 kilograms. It was probably made in the sixth century CE.
Contents |
[edit] Use
It is believed to be influenced by Chinese prototypes, but the Baekje burner uses realism and is three-dimensional in shape. The incense burner incorporates Buddhist and Taoist themes but some theorize that the burner symbolizes themes of Northeast Asian culture. The dragon and phoenix suggest a yin and yang motif, and because it was excavated from what was probably a Buddhist temple, this theory has some weight. However, the uniqueness of the artifact suggests that the burner may have been used for ancestral rites or other unique ceremonies.
[edit] Appearance
Descriptively, the incense burner can be classified in four parts: the body, lid, the phoenix-shaped knob, and the support plate.
The lid is encircled by 74 mountains thinly cast in five layers reaching the top. The lid also contains various figures cast in relief including five musicians with different instruments, sixteen other figures, and thirty-nine animals including tigers, dragons, and deer. The lid also has different kinds of scenery including six types of trees, boulders, trails, waterfalls, and lakes which may symbolize the ideal landscape of a Taoist hermit. Five birds sit at the top of the five highest peaks of the mountain and the top of the lid is crowned with a dragon on top. The lid is also ventilated with five holes, one in the chest of the phoenix, to release the scent of the incense.
The top of the lid is capped with a bonghwang (phoenix) which holds a magic pearl. The tail of the bonghwang curves out in an arching fashion.
The body of the burner is shaped in the form of a blossoming lotus. The petals of the lotus also contain twenty-six animals on the lateral surface including fish, heavenly beasts and birds. Some of the animals rest between the lotus petals while others are top.
The support plate is in the shape of a dragon with its mouth facing the base of the body which it supports. The dragon is surrounded by a blowing bronze motif of clouds and its own tail is arched, giving the base a sense of movement.
