An incense burner is the instrument offered to the Buddha for burning incense. Offering incense to the Buddha has been emphasized since the ancient times. There was a unique type of an incense burner in the Goryeo Dynasty and it is the very 'hanging i...
An incense burner is the instrument offered to the Buddha for burning incense. Offering incense to the Buddha has been emphasized since the ancient times. There was a unique type of an incense burner in the Goryeo Dynasty and it is the very 'hanging incense burner'. The hanging incense burner means an incense burner to be hung up. This study was done for 13 hanging incense burners manufactured in the Goryeo Dynasty and examined the hanging incense burner from a variety of perspectives including its origin and manufacturing background, types and characteristics and use.
In the Chapter II, The Origin and the Advent of Hanging Incense Burner in the Goryeo Dynasty, this research examined its manufacturing background and designation. An hanging incense burner existed in the ancient China. However, it differs from that of our nation in terms of appearance. Therefore, the hanging incense burner of the Goryeo Dynasty may be said to have been standardized in the Goryeo Dynasty .
As for the designation of the hanging incense burner, this study investigated it based on incense burners excavated from the Beopcheonsa TempleSite, in particular, 'Hanging Incense Burner with Inscription of Muja’ and identified if it was substituted by other terms.
In the Chapter III, this study identified kinds and developments of incense burners in the Goryeo Dynasty. In the Goryeo Dynasty, Buddhism was developed greatly since Goryeo was the Buddhist nation. Hence, in order to offer incense to the Buddha, there were a number of kinds of incense burners necessarily. In the Goryeo Dynasty unlike other dynasties, there were three kinds of incense burners including ones held with a hand, positioned at a table and hung up somewhere for use. In this Chapter, this study examined kinds of incense burners and characteristics of hanging incense burners in the Goryeo Dynasty.
In the Chapter IV, this study investigated types and characteristics of the hanging incense burners in the Goryeo Dynasty. External forms of the hanging incense burners in the Goryeo Dynasty may be divided into three types according to the height and the maximum width of a body. Besides, as a result of analyzing each characteristic, it shows that handle and body express lotus blossoms and leaves intentionally and there is a little subtle difference in decoration. Finally, as for their use, as shown from the inscription, the hanging incense burner excavated from the Beopcheonsa TempleSite was manufactured to hang in front of Amitabha at the Amita Buddha Buddhist ceremony on February, Muja Year. As such, hanging incense burner was manufactured to be hung for use. As a result of measuring weights of 13 hanging incense burners, there was the one weighted less than 100g so it is assumed that one may hang it up enough. In addition, there is an incense burner hung at the back of luggage of a monk in the Gubeopseungdo excavated from Dunhuang so it is regarded that mobile incense burner was used too. Accordingly, it may be assumed that hanging incense burner in the Goryeo Dynasty was hung on a handle or a chain at a Buddhist ceremony. Also, mobile incense burner was used too.
In the Chapter V, based on analysis above, this study estimated the chronology and transition of the hanging incense burner. As for the objects excavated from temple sites, research was conducted mainly for relics having a correct chronology or showing a stylistic characteristic clearly. As a result, it shows that these temples existed commonly from the mid 11th century to the early 13th century. Based on such a fact, transitions of hanging incense burners were examined through their characteristics and it reveals that in the early times decoration of lotus petals was detailed and splendid, schematized and decayed gradually. From the mid 13th century, hanging incense burners did not appear any more and a jade lamp very similar to a hanging incense burner appeared from the late 13th century. It may be said that hanging incense burner in the Goryeo Dynasty changed into a lamp in terms of its use.
Art culture the most Korean bloomed in the Goryeo Dynasty from the 11th century to the early 13th century. Unique craft works of the Goryeo Dynasty's own unlike those from other dynasties were created and one of them is a hanging incense burner. Along with the activation of Buddhism since the mid 11th century, in such a period, it is assumed that objects of a kind were used for different purpose in a temple to make Buddhist rituals more magnificent. Hanging incense burners came to appear along with such recognition of people in the Goryeo Dynasty.
Hanging incense burner is both an aspect showing the crafts in the Goryeo Dynasty and an important key word reflecting the variety of the Buddhist crafts. This paper has significance in that it analyzed hanging incense burners in the Goryeo Dynasty and their interconnections with other craft works in terms of the cultural history.