Cultural Prosperity of Korea
Baekje Dynasty
Baekje is considered the kingdom with the most significant art among the three states. Baekje was a kingdom in southwest Korea with substantial ties to southern Chinese dynasties, such as the Liang Dynasty. Baekje was also one of the kingdoms to introduce a significant Korean influence into the art of Japan during this period.
Baekje Dynasty, Korea, 4th century
Crown of Baekje
(Geumjegwansik)
These are pairs of two gold diadems that the king of Baekje wore. They were excavated from King Muryeong's tomb in Gongju, South Korea in 1971. The diadems were found neatly stacked on top of each other near the king's head in the coffin.
At the bottom of both diadems is a ring that is believed to have been used to hook and attach the diadems to a royal cap, presumably made from silk. Based on historical records, the king was said to have decorated a gold flower on the back of his black cloth hat. It is believed these diadems would be placed on the left and right or front and back of the royal cap. The diadems would be placed on both sides of the cap and resemble wings, an important motif in shamanism that probably represented a belief in rebirth.
The whole diadem looks like a mass of vines or branches that are shaped into a flame-like pattern. Flower-like patterns are at the top of the diadem and the lower right and left. The flame-like pattern and honeysuckle-arabesque pattern may have also been derived from Buddhist traditions because of their similarities to the halos of Buddhist sculpture. The diadems are also decorated with many spangles of gold.
Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje
(Buyeo Neungsan-ri chulto Baekje geumdong daehyangno)
Baekje Dynasty, Korea, 6th Dynasty
This incense is a symbol of the artistry of the Baekje people and a masterpiece of Korean art.
The incense burner can be classified into 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 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.
The top of the lid is capped with a bonghwang (phoenix) which holds a magic pearl.
The body of the burner is shaped in the form of a blossoming lotus showing Buddhist themes. The petals of the lotus also contain twenty-six animals on the lateral surface, including fish, heavenly beasts, and birds. Some 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 body's base, which it supports. A blowing bronze motif of clouds surrounds the dragon, and its tail is arched, giving the base a sense of movement.
Many believed it was copied from the incense burner of China, but it differs from the ancient Chinese prototypes in its structure, and designs did not constitute the ornamental design element of the Han dynasty incense burners.
