Bell of King Seongdeok
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 National Treasure of Korea No.29: The Bell of King Seongdeok. |
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The Bell of King Seongdeok is the largest extant bell in Korea and one of the largest in the world. The full Korean name means "Sacred Bell of King Seongdeok the Great." It was also known as the Bell of Bongdeoksa Temple, where it was first housed.
It is commonly known as the Emille Bell in Korean and English. Emille, pronounced "em-ee-leh," is an ancient Silla term for "mommy." According to legend, when the bell was first cast, it would not ring. So it was melted down again and the priest of the temple for which the bell was being made was told in a dream that if a baby was cast into the metal the bell would ring. When the bell was recast and struck, it produced the sound of "em-ee-leh", like the cries of the sacrificed baby.
It was designated as the 29th national treasure of Korea on December 12, 1962. It measures 3.33 meters high, 2.27 meters in diameter, and 11 to 25 centimeters in wall thickness. The notes could be heard 40 miles away on a clear day. The bell weighs about 25 tons. It is now stored in the National Museum of Gyeongju.
The bell was commissioned by King Gyeongdeok of Silla to honor his father King Seongdeok the Great. However, the bell was not completely cast until the reign of King Hyegong, the son of King Gyeondeok, in 771 CE.
[edit] Description
The bell is considered a masterpiece of Unified Silla art.
It is unique among Korean bronze bells because it has a hollow tube that controls its sound. The hook of the bell is in the shape of a dragon's head. There are many relief patterns on the bell. There are flower patterns along the rim and shoulder. There are also reliefs of lotus flowers, grass reliefs, and a pair of two apsarases (heavenly maidens). The striking point of the bell (dwangja) is also in the shape of a lotus and sits between two of the heavenly maiden reliefs. The bottom of the bell is in a rhombic shape which gives it a unique look not found in other bells of East Asia.
The inscriptions on the bell, over a thousand Chinese characters, are fine example of East Asian calligraphy and carving and they provide detailed information about the bell and why it was cast.
