Tongdosa Cheongdong Eunipsa Hyangwan(2002)

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.1354

Category

Craft

Era

조선 현종 15년(1674)

Designated year

2002

Location

양산시, 경상남도— 경남 양산시 하북면 통도사로 108, 통도사 성보박물관 (지산리)

Coordinates

35.487956, 129.064387

This bronze incense burner with silver-inlaid design is the largest surviving one among the similar kinds produced during the Goryeo and Joseon Periods. With a round rice bowl-shaped body with a wide mouth rim, mounted on a flared foot, it is in a classical style of goblet-type incense burners. Four silver wire-inlaid circles enclosing Sanskrit characters are placed around the body, on the front and back, and on the left and right sides, in a symmetric manner. The area between the circles is filled with lotus and scrolls and yeouidu (swirling cloud-like design) motifs, inlaid with fine wire. The foot with a disk-shaped rim is adorned in its upper section with long rectangular-shaped lotus petals with two rows of petals, and in the lower section, with two phoenixes flying amid clouds with widespread wings, placed symmetrically to each other. The incised inscription on the back informs that this incense burner was made in 1674 by a certain Sin Ae-nam. This footed incense burner, a classical Goryeo-style goblet-type silver-inlaid bronze incense burner, is one of the rare such items surviving to the present. It is also a very rare Joseon Dynasty incense burner whose date of creation is precisely known, along with the name of the artisan who made it and the temple where it was initially offered. In spite of being a Buddhist relic from late Joseon where Buddhism, under the strong influence of Confucianism, was relegated to the edge of the social and cultural scene, the incense burner is not only large in size, but also exquisitely decorated with silver-inlaid motifs. The fact that the bowl and its foot were separately cast and put together also makes this incense burner one of a kind, having a high significance for the history of Korean art.

Location