Brief introduction of ancient Korean sculpture

Sculptures in ancient Korea were mainly Buddhist themes, such as statues of Buddha and his followers and commemorative statues, as well as large bronze bells in temples. Gold-plated bronze is the most commonly used material for Korean sculptors, but they also use marble, stone, clay, iron and wood. Non-Buddhist sculptures include masks, tomb guards and carving poles, all of which are designed to ward off evil spirits. Initially influenced by China's art, Korean sculptors constantly created their own unique styles and influenced ancient Japanese sculptures.

Sculpture of Three Kingdoms

The earliest known peninsula sculpture is a small stone statue of a naked woman unearthed near Busan, dating back to the Neolithic Age. Clay figurines were also made at this time, but it was not until the Three Kingdoms period (BC 1 century to the 7th century AD) that a large number of sculptures were made.

During the Baekje (Baekje), Silla and Koguryo (Koguryo) periods, which ruled the peninsula from 57 BC to 668 AD, Buddhism had a great influence on sculpture, such as the wooden and metal statues of Maitreya (Buddha, Bodhisattva, temple lanterns, temple tiles with hideous faces, incense burners, etc.). ) is particularly popular. Baekje artists also carve rock walls to represent the Buddha, for example, in Suoshan.

During this period, stone tablets depicting the Buddha and his followers appeared, which were originally created in Baekje. Four examples of Biansa Temple near Yongji are carved with talc, less than half a meter high. They may come from Silla Kingdom, and there are reliefs of Buddhist figures and musicians with Datuk as the background. One is mushroom-shaped with a pagoda on the back. At present, all these are in the National Museum of Korea in Seoul.

The most common form of Buddhist sculpture in this period is the portable Buddha statue, which can be a three-in-one Buddha statue with two bodhisattvas on both sides or a single Buddha statue. These are made of bronze and gilded bronze. The earliest known statue can be traced back to 539 A.D., showing the burning Datura around the Buddha's head, which is a typical representative of the northern Wei art in China. It is also worth noting that the inscription on the back of the picture shows that a large number of such characters have been made. It says:

In the seventh year of Yonghe, the monk of Dongnang Temple in Koguryo wished to give a thousand buddhas, which is now twenty-nine. (Gold, 1 10)

The Baekje Kingdom provides the most outstanding example of a metal incense burner, which is the only survivor of its kind. It is made of gold-plated bronze and is 135 cm high. At the foot is a dragon, holding an egg-shaped mountain decorated with sky and clouds. There is a phoenix-decorated cover on the whole top.

In the middle of the 6th century, the relationship between the two countries was close, and Baekje metal workers and sculptors spread their skills and ideas to Japan. From this time on, Korean figure sculptures are more independent of China's influence, and facial expressions are obviously more Korean than round, which helps to distinguish Buddhist sculptures from two cultures from now on.

Unify Silla sculpture

The unified kingdom of Silla (AD 668-935) witnessed the development of a new art form, that is, making a large bronze casting bell (pomjong) and knocking it from the side with a hanging wooden beam. They are placed in their own pavilions to announce services in Buddhist temples. The biggest example is the Pande Temple, also known as the Amir's Clock, which was cast in 77 1 AD to commemorate King Shengde. It is 3.3 meters high and 2.2 meters in diameter. It is decorated with lotus flowers and paradise, as well as a dragon-shaped ring. The clock weighs nearly 19 tons and is now on display in Gyeongju National Museum.

Perhaps the best Korean figure sculpture can be found in Seokguram near Duoxian Mountain Buddhist Temple in Gyeongju. The artificial grottoes were built between 75 1 and 774, and there is a magnificent granite sitting Buddha inside. He is 3.45 meters tall and sits cross-legged on a large circular pedestal or throne of 1.6 meters. Grottoes * * * have 4 1 high relief sculptures depicting various Buddhist figures. They are considered as one of the best products made in Korea.

Other commemorative stone statues include the Gang of Four outside Gyeongju. Carved on both sides of granite boulders, according to the legend in Travel Notes of the Three Kingdoms, King Jingde (reigned in 742-765 AD) found these figures when he was digging in the field. A temple, Kulpulsa or "Open Buddhist Temple", is also built on this website.

Some large figure sculptures are made of cast iron, and the parts are made separately, then assembled and coated or covered with gypsum. However, it is still a small sculpture, providing the best example of craftsmanship. Maitreya Buddha has exquisite facial features, realistic body proportion, lazy posture (generally crossing one leg) and deep pleats. The unique posture of Bhaisajyaguru and Piluzenafo holding the index finger of their left hand with the index finger of their right hand is also very popular. After a long period of poor harvest and rampant banditry in the 9th century, the first few figures may be welcomed. Similarly, although iron and stone are commonly used, the best material is bronze, and then gold is plated with gold foil and amalgam. When heated, mercury evaporates and the statue is polished.

Folk art in this period provided some interesting sculpture forms, such as the Great Wall, a tall thin column with a face on it, which acted as the guardian of the village.

The folk art of this period provided some interesting sculpture forms. The Great Wall is a tall and thin pillar with a face on it. They are placed in pairs on the ground at the entrance of the village, carved from stone or wood, and are considered as guardians. Sometimes woodcuts are carved from a whole tree trunk, leaving the roots behind, so that they are upside down on the ground and look like hair, with a devil's face of Zhang Mingliang. A common superstition is that if someone walks the Great Wall, then a person will die in the village. They are hung by food, and sometimes chestnuts are buried under their feet. Chang Song is also a fertility symbol that women pray for, sometimes even placed in front of Buddhist temples; The oldest can be traced back to 759 AD. Another popular folk sculpture form that combines fertility and guardianship functions is Harubang. These are stone carvings of various figures, standing outside the tomb to ward off evil spirits. The third sentry post is the cable tower, and the top is the carved bird. Finally, the popular wooden sculpture is kirogi. These are wooden ducks. As a substitute for the early wedding tradition, the groom gave the bride's mother a goose to ensure his loyalty.

Korean sculpture

Korea ruled Korea from 9 18 to 1392. Its sculptors use various media, including marble, stone, Songkhla pottery (painted or gilded) and metal. Maitreya continues to be popular. Some statues, such as the 65,438+07.4-meter-high Buddha statue in Pozhou and the 65,438+08.4-meter-high Buddha statue in Shan Lun Guanse Temple, are carved from natural boulders. 1 1 century. These statues have only the basic elements of detail, which are much more abstract than metal figures. Many of them wear unique high hats, which may represent the connection with Shamanism practiced for a long time in ancient Korea. Large metal statues are still being made, for example, in Silla Kingdom, such as the 2.88-meter-high Gwangju Giant Buddha. ..

Another area of metalwork is making clocks for Buddhist temples. Compared with the giant clock made in the early unified Silla kingdom, the Koryo clock can still be as high as 1.7 meters. It is made of bronze and decorated with dragons and astronomical phenomena. A unique feature is the lotus commemorative medallion cast on the clock. Handbells, temple gongs, incense burners and vases are also made of bronze, sometimes decorated with very fine silver and gold inlays.

According to the China model, the standing statues of soldiers or officials are usually placed outside the grave in pairs. Wooden masks are another example of non-Buddhist sculptures in this period. They are designed for traditional mask dancing. Their eyes are deep and their noses are long and straight, which shows that they have been influenced by Central Asia. Masks were produced as early as in Korea and were worn by wizards or used in tombs and houses to ward off evil spirits. In the second half of the year, most of the sculptures were small and made of gold-plated bronze, and began to show the influence of artists who arrived in the Yuan Dynasty when Mongolia occupied Korea in the 3rd century.