Bell of King Seongdeok
Encyclopedia
The Bell of King Seongdeok is a massive bronze
bell
, the largest extant bell in Korea
. The full Korean name means "Sacred (or Divine) Bell of King Seongdeok the Great." It was also known as the Emille Bell, after a legend about its casting, and as the Bell of Bongdeoksa Temple, where it was first housed.
The bell was commissioned by King Gyeongdeok
to honor his father, King Seongdeok
. However, King Gyeongdeok never lived to see the casting of the bell, as he died in 765 CE. The bell was finally cast in 771 CE, during the reign of Gyeongdeok's son, King Hyegong
.
Now stored in the National Museum
of Gyeongju
, the bell was designated as the 29th national treasure of Korea on December 12, 1962. It measures 3.33 meters high, 2.27 meters in diameter, and 11 to 25 centimeters in wall thickness. The Gyeongju National Museum weighed it in 1997, and found that its weight was 18.9 tons.
When rung, it is said to have been heard from 40 miles away on a clear day..
art. It is unique among Korean bronze bells because of the presence of a small hollow tube near the hook. The whole structure, including its decorative elements, produces a wide range of sound frequencies; the tube absorbes high frequency waves, contributing to a distinctive beat
.
The hook of the bell is in the shape of a dragon
's head. There are many relief patterns on the bell, including are flower patterns along the rim and shoulder. There are also reliefs of lotus
flowers, grass reliefs, and a pair of two apsarases (heavenly maidens). The striking point of the bell (dwangja) is also in the shape of a lotus and sits between two of the apsarases reliefs. The bottom of the bell is in a rhombic
shape, lending it a look unique among bells of the Orient
.
The inscriptions on the bell, over a thousand hanja
, are a fine example of East Asian calligraphy
and carving. They provide detailed information about the bell and why it was cast.
The column the bell hangs on is quite firm. Even a column made with the same diameter, out of modern alloy
might bend by weight of the bell, yet the bell still hangs on an ancient column that has lasted for several centuries.
term for "mommy".
According to legend, the first bell that was cast produced no sound when it was struck. The bell was recast many times but with no success. The king that had wanted the bell cast died after a while and his young son took over with the help of the queen. The son carried out what his father had started but still he didn't have any success. Later, a monk dreamed that if a child was cast into the metal, the bell would ring. The monk then took a child from the village and had her cast into the metal. When the bell was complete, the bell made the most beautiful sound when struck.
Some, however, believe the legend may actually be a modern invention, and that the story and name originated in the 1920s. A story that was published about the "Eomilne bell" or "Earmilne bell" (어밀네 종) may have been distorted in retelling. The most recent argument is that legend about other bell became confused with the legend of the Emille bell.
Related articles tell similar or same legend: H. N. Allen, "Places of interest in Seoul - with history and legend"(The Korean Repository, 1895.4), H. B. Hulbert, "The Korean Legend on the 'Sprit of the Bell'"(The Korean Review, 1901), Constance J. D. Coulson, "The Sight of Seoul"(Korea, 1910), Frank Elias, "Korea-chapter4(Places, Bells, and Dogs)"(The Far East(China, Korea, Japan), 1911), E. M. Cable, "Old Korean Bells"(Royal Asiatic Society XVI, 1925)
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
bell
Bell (instrument)
A bell is a simple sound-making device. The bell is a percussion instrument and an idiophone. Its form is usually a hollow, cup-shaped object, which resonates upon being struck...
, the largest extant bell in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
. The full Korean name means "Sacred (or Divine) Bell of King Seongdeok the Great." It was also known as the Emille Bell, after a legend about its casting, and as the Bell of Bongdeoksa Temple, where it was first housed.
The bell was commissioned by King Gyeongdeok
Gyeongdeok of Silla
King Gyeongdeok of Silla was the 35th ruler who reigned from 742 to 765 over the kingdom of Silla. He is perhaps best known today for his efforts to encourage Buddhism....
to honor his father, King Seongdeok
Seongdeok of Silla
Seongdeok Daewang was the thirty-third king of the ancient Korean kingdom of Silla. He was the second son of King Sinmun, and the younger brother of King Hyoso. In 704 Seongdeok married Lady Baeso 陪昭夫人 , the daughter of Gim Wontae. In 715 their son, Junggyeong 重慶, was named Crown Prince and heir...
. However, King Gyeongdeok never lived to see the casting of the bell, as he died in 765 CE. The bell was finally cast in 771 CE, during the reign of Gyeongdeok's son, King Hyegong
Hyegong of Silla
Hyegong of Silla was the 36th ruler of the Korean kingdom of Silla. He was the son of King Gyeongdeok by Lady Manwol. Hyegong was the last descendant of King Muyeol to sit on the throne. Because of this, his reign is often regarded as the end of the middle period of the Silla state.Hyegong...
.
Now stored in the National Museum
Gyeongju National Museum
The Gyeongju National Museum is a museum in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. Its holdings are largely devoted to relics of the Silla kingdom, of which Gyeongju was the capital....
of Gyeongju
Gyeongju
Gyeongju is a coastal city in the far southeastern corner of North Gyeongsang province in South Korea. It is the second largest city by area in the province after Andong, covering with a population of 269,343 people according to the 2008 census. Gyeongju is southeast of Seoul, and east of the...
, the bell was designated as the 29th national treasure of Korea on December 12, 1962. It measures 3.33 meters high, 2.27 meters in diameter, and 11 to 25 centimeters in wall thickness. The Gyeongju National Museum weighed it in 1997, and found that its weight was 18.9 tons.
When rung, it is said to have been heard from 40 miles away on a clear day..
Artistic characteristics
The bell is considered a masterpiece of Unified SillaUnified Silla
Unified Silla or Later Silla is the name often applied to the Korean kingdom of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, when it conquered Baekje in 660 and Goguryeo in 668, unifying the southern portion of the Korean peninsula...
art. It is unique among Korean bronze bells because of the presence of a small hollow tube near the hook. The whole structure, including its decorative elements, produces a wide range of sound frequencies; the tube absorbes high frequency waves, contributing to a distinctive beat
Beat (acoustics)
In acoustics, a beat is an interference between two sounds of slightly different frequencies, perceived as periodic variations in volume whose rate is the difference between the two frequencies....
.
The hook of the bell is in the shape of a dragon
Chinese dragon
Chinese dragons are legendary creatures in Chinese mythology and folklore, with mythic counterparts among Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Bhutanese, Western and Turkic dragons. In Chinese art, dragons are typically portrayed as long, scaled, serpentine creatures with four legs...
's head. There are many relief patterns on the bell, including are flower patterns along the rim and shoulder. There are also reliefs of lotus
Nelumbo nucifera
Nelumbo nucifera, known by a number of names including Indian Lotus, Sacred Lotus, Bean of India, or simply Lotus, is a plant in the monogeneric family Nelumbonaceae...
flowers, grass reliefs, and a pair of two apsarases (heavenly maidens). The striking point of the bell (dwangja) is also in the shape of a lotus and sits between two of the apsarases reliefs. The bottom of the bell is in a rhombic
Rhombus
In Euclidean geometry, a rhombus or rhomb is a convex quadrilateral whose four sides all have the same length. The rhombus is often called a diamond, after the diamonds suit in playing cards, or a lozenge, though the latter sometimes refers specifically to a rhombus with a 45° angle.Every...
shape, lending it a look unique among bells of the Orient
Orient
The Orient means "the East." It is a traditional designation for anything that belongs to the Eastern world or the Far East, in relation to Europe. In English it is a metonym that means various parts of Asia.- Derivation :...
.
The inscriptions on the bell, over a thousand hanja
Hanja
Hanja is the Korean name for the Chinese characters hanzi. More specifically, it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated into the Korean language with Korean pronunciation...
, are a fine example of East Asian calligraphy
East Asian calligraphy
East Asian calligraphy is a form of calligraphy widely practised and revered in the Sinosphere. This most often includes China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. The East Asian calligraphic tradition originated and developed from China. There is a general standardization of the various styles of...
and carving. They provide detailed information about the bell and why it was cast.
The column the bell hangs on is quite firm. Even a column made with the same diameter, out of modern alloy
Alloy
An alloy is a mixture or metallic solid solution composed of two or more elements. Complete solid solution alloys give single solid phase microstructure, while partial solutions give two or more phases that may or may not be homogeneous in distribution, depending on thermal history...
might bend by weight of the bell, yet the bell still hangs on an ancient column that has lasted for several centuries.
Legend
The bell is commonly known as the Emille Bell in both Korean and English. Emille, pronounced "em-ee-leh," is an ancient SillaSilla
Silla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and one of the longest sustained dynasties in...
term for "mommy".
According to legend, the first bell that was cast produced no sound when it was struck. The bell was recast many times but with no success. The king that had wanted the bell cast died after a while and his young son took over with the help of the queen. The son carried out what his father had started but still he didn't have any success. Later, a monk dreamed that if a child was cast into the metal, the bell would ring. The monk then took a child from the village and had her cast into the metal. When the bell was complete, the bell made the most beautiful sound when struck.
Some, however, believe the legend may actually be a modern invention, and that the story and name originated in the 1920s. A story that was published about the "Eomilne bell" or "Earmilne bell" (어밀네 종) may have been distorted in retelling. The most recent argument is that legend about other bell became confused with the legend of the Emille bell.
Related articles tell similar or same legend: H. N. Allen, "Places of interest in Seoul - with history and legend"(The Korean Repository, 1895.4), H. B. Hulbert, "The Korean Legend on the 'Sprit of the Bell'"(The Korean Review, 1901), Constance J. D. Coulson, "The Sight of Seoul"(Korea, 1910), Frank Elias, "Korea-chapter4(Places, Bells, and Dogs)"(The Far East(China, Korea, Japan), 1911), E. M. Cable, "Old Korean Bells"(Royal Asiatic Society XVI, 1925)