The Bell of King Seongdeok is a large bronzebell, 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.
Bell of King Seongdeok
National Treasure of Korea No.29: The Bell of King Seongdeok.
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 A.D. The bell was finally cast in 771 A.D., 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 3.75 meters (12.3 ft) high, 2.27 meters (7.4 ft) in diameter at the lip, and 12 to 25 centimeters (4.7 to 9.8 in) in wall thickness. The Gyeongju National Museum weighed it in 1997, and found that its weight was 18.9 tons.[1]
The bell is considered a masterpiece of Unified Silla art. It is unique among Korean bronze bells because of the presence of delicate designs and the title text, written in an elegant literary language. The whole structure, including its decorative elements, produces a wide range of sound frequencies; the sound tube absorbs high frequency waves, contributing to a distinctive beat.[2][3]
The hook of the bell is in the shape of a dragon's head. There are many relief patterns on the bell, including flower patterns along the rim and shoulder. There are also reliefs of lotus flowers, grass, and a pair of two apsaras (heavenly maidens). The striking point of the bell (dangjwa) is also in the shape of a lotus and sits between two of the apsara reliefs. The bottom of the bell is in a rhombic shape, designed to augment the sound reverberation.
The inscriptions on the bell (the title text), over a thousand hanja, are a fine example of Korean 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 of the same diameter, made of a modern alloy, might bend under the weight of the bell, yet the bell still hangs on an ancient column that has lasted for several centuries.[4]
Apsara relief
Carved Korean calligraphy
Legend
The bell is commonly known as the Emile Bell in both Korean and English. Emile, pronounced "em-ee-leh," is an ancient Silla 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.[5] The most recent argument is that legend about other bell became confused with the legend of the Emile bell.[6][7]
^Korea Tourism Organization. . Visit Korea. Archived from the original on 2012-03-05. Retrieved 2021-03-28.
^Kim Seock Hyun, , archived from the original on 2019-11-27
^Kim, Seock-Hyun; Lee, Chi-Wook; Lee, Jang-Moo (March 2005). "Beat characteristics and beat maps of the King Seong-deok Divine Bell". Journal of Sound and Vibration. 281 (1–2): 21–44. doi:10.1016/j.jsv.2004.01.038.
^Yu HengJun. "Chapter 9". 나의 문화유산답사기 [My Cultural Heritage Exploration]. Vol. Book 3.
^[1] (Korean), also fiction section of the '매일신보(Official newspaper of the Governor-General of Korea, published by the Japanese colonial government). One picture of the link is original text of Earmilne bell. Opponents reference Hulbert (1906, p. 326), a story about other bell in Seoul and Japanese records about 1920.
^Hulbert, Homer B. (1906). The Passing of Korea. New York: Doubleday, Page & Co. p. 326 – via Internet Archive.
^송작생/松雀生 (1929-09-27). 오래인 벙어리 종로鍾路인경의 신세타령. 별건곤 [Byeolgeon-gun] (23). cited in 초록불 (2009-02-10). 에밀레 종의 비밀을 찾아서 [In search of the secret of the Emile Bell]. 초록불의 잡학다식 (in Korean).
Further reading
Allen, H. N. (1895). "Places of interest in Seoul" (PDF). The Korean Repository. II (5): 182–187 – via Old books about Korea online.
Cable, E. M. (1925). "Old Korean Bells" (PDF). Transactions of the Korea Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. XVI: 1–45 – via Old books about Korea online.
Coulson, Constance J. D. (1910). "The Sights of Seoul". Korea. Peeps at Many Lands. London: Adam & Charles Black. pp. 56–60 – via Internet Archive.
Elias, Frank (1911). "Korea: Places, Bells, and Dogs". The Far East: China, Korea, Japan. Peeps at Many Lands. London: A. & C. Black. pp. 98–103 – via Internet Archive.
Hulbert, Homer B. (1901). "The Spirit of the Bell, A Korean legend" (PDF). The Korean Review. I (1) – via Old books about Korea online.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bell of King Seongdeok.
March 05, 2023
bell, king, seongdeok, coordinates, 8295750, 2279278, 8295750, 2279278, large, bronze, bell, largest, extant, bell, korea, full, korean, name, means, sacred, divine, great, also, known, emille, bell, after, legend, about, casting, bell, bongdeoksa, temple, whe. Coordinates 35 49 46 47 N 129 13 40 54 E 35 8295750 N 129 2279278 E 35 8295750 129 2279278 The Bell of King Seongdeok is a large 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 Bell of King SeongdeokNational Treasure of Korea No 29 The Bell of King Seongdeok Korean nameHangul성덕대왕신종 에밀레종Hanja聖德大王神鍾 에밀레鍾Revised RomanizationSeongdeok Daewang Sinjong Emille jongMcCune ReischauerSŏngdŏk Taewang Sinjong Emille chongThe 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 A D The bell was finally cast in 771 A D 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 75 meters 12 3 ft high 2 27 meters 7 4 ft in diameter at the lip and 12 to 25 centimeters 4 7 to 9 8 in in wall thickness The Gyeongju National Museum weighed it in 1997 and found that its weight was 18 9 tons 1 Contents 1 Artistic characteristics 2 Legend 3 See also 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksArtistic characteristics Edit Bell of King Seongdeok Gyeongju National Museum South Korea The bell is considered a masterpiece of Unified Silla art It is unique among Korean bronze bells because of the presence of delicate designs and the title text written in an elegant literary language The whole structure including its decorative elements produces a wide range of sound frequencies the sound tube absorbs high frequency waves contributing to a distinctive beat 2 3 The hook of the bell is in the shape of a dragon s head There are many relief patterns on the bell including flower patterns along the rim and shoulder There are also reliefs of lotus flowers grass and a pair of two apsaras heavenly maidens The striking point of the bell dangjwa is also in the shape of a lotus and sits between two of the apsara reliefs The bottom of the bell is in a rhombic shape designed to augment the sound reverberation The inscriptions on the bell the title text over a thousand hanja are a fine example of Korean 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 of the same diameter made of a modern alloy might bend under the weight of the bell yet the bell still hangs on an ancient column that has lasted for several centuries 4 Apsara relief Carved Korean calligraphyLegend EditThe bell is commonly known as the Emile Bell in both Korean and English Emile pronounced em ee leh is an ancient Silla 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 5 The most recent argument is that legend about other bell became confused with the legend of the Emile bell 6 7 See also EditKorean Bell of Friendship Bell of YongjusaReferences Edit Korea Tourism Organization The Divine Bell of King Seongdeok Visit Korea Archived from the original on 2012 03 05 Retrieved 2021 03 28 Kim Seock Hyun Beat Maps of King Song Dok Bell Beat Map Drawing Method of Bell Type Structures and Beat Maps of the King Seong deok Divine Bell archived from the original on 2019 11 27 Kim Seock Hyun Lee Chi Wook Lee Jang Moo March 2005 Beat characteristics and beat maps of the King Seong deok Divine Bell Journal of Sound and Vibration 281 1 2 21 44 doi 10 1016 j jsv 2004 01 038 Yu HengJun Chapter 9 나의 문화유산답사기 My Cultural Heritage Exploration Vol Book 3 1 Korean also fiction section of the 매일신보 Official newspaper of the Governor General of Korea published by the Japanese colonial government One picture of the link is original text of Earmilne bell Opponents reference Hulbert 1906 p 326 a story about other bell in Seoul and Japanese records about 1920 Hulbert Homer B 1906 The Passing of Korea New York Doubleday Page amp Co p 326 via Internet Archive 송작생 松雀生 1929 09 27 오래인 벙어리 종로鍾路인경의 신세타령 별건곤 Byeolgeon gun 23 cited in 초록불 2009 02 10 에밀레 종의 비밀을 찾아서 In search of the secret of the Emile Bell 초록불의 잡학다식 in Korean Further reading EditAllen H N 1895 Places of interest in Seoul PDF The Korean Repository II 5 182 187 via Old books about Korea online Cable E M 1925 Old Korean Bells PDF Transactions of the Korea Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society XVI 1 45 via Old books about Korea online Coulson Constance J D 1910 The Sights of Seoul Korea Peeps at Many Lands London Adam amp Charles Black pp 56 60 via Internet Archive Elias Frank 1911 Korea Places Bells and Dogs The Far East China Korea Japan Peeps at Many Lands London A amp C Black pp 98 103 via Internet Archive Hulbert Homer B 1901 The Spirit of the Bell A Korean legend PDF The Korean Review I 1 via Old books about Korea online External links EditCultural Heritage Administration Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bell of King Seongdeok Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bell of King Seongdeok amp oldid 1136597483, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
