Gilt-bronze Incense Burner

At last! This artifact, the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner, is the pride of the Buyeo National Museum and the most representative symbol of this historic city.

The unique sentiment of the Baekje people and the beautiful artifact are difficult to find anywhere else even in East Asia. Surprisingly, this beautiful incense burner was uncovered during the construction of a parking lot for tourists in 1993. A magnificent jewel was recovered from the mud! This was the greatest example of Baekje art and the greatest archaeological find in Korea since the excavation of the Royal Tomb of King Muryeong.

The incense burner, unearthed after 1400 years, has been preserved in perfect condition. In fact, the soil it lay buried in for so long had protected the artifact from oxidation.

Further excavations were conducted in the area after the discovery of the incense burner, and it was determined that the area was the former site of a temple of the Baekje Kingdom. This indicated that the incense burner was not only a decorative item, but also a ceremonial accessory used during important rituals.

Records from ancient Egypt and the West indicate that incense was burned during ceremonial rituals. Both the scent and the smoke of the burning incense were considered sacred.

Let's take a look at the incense burner.

The artifact is composed of four parts. First, there is a lid with a bird-shaped knob and a number of holes through which smoke is released. The body is covered with splendid designs and the base is shaped like a dragon.

The splendid, dignified bird on top of the lid is a phoenix, the sacred, imaginary animal of the ancient east. People believed that dragons and phoenixes possessed sacred powers.

The figure of the phoenix on the top of the lid of the incense burner illustrates the sophistication of Baekje artworks. In particular, the long tail that curves upward is exceptionally delicate.

The mountainous habitat of the saints is also depicted on the lid. The variety of unique animals and plants, along with the group of heavenly musicians, resembles a divine paradise.

Finally, the body of the burner is shaped like a lotus flower in full bloom, the Buddhist symbol of the origin of all life.

The incense burner combines nature, reality and Buddhist principles within the realm of the imagination, and is a perfect expression of the ideal, utopian world dreamed of by the people of Baekje.