Celadon Lidded Bowl with Inlaid Inscription of "Sangyakguk (Bureau of Medicine)" and Incised Cloud and Dragon Design

The Celadon Lidded Bowl with Inlaid Inscription of "Sangyakguk (Bureau of Medicine)" and Incised Cloud and Dragon Design is a cylindrical lidded vessel (hap), 9.6 cm high, with a mouth diameter of 7.5 cm and a base diameter of 6.0 cm. A considerable number of such lidded bowls survive among Goryeo celadon wares, and they can be divided into two types: low, flat forms and tall, cylindrical forms. This bowl belongs to the tall, cylindrical type and is simple in overall shape. The lower edge of the body and the upper edge of the lid are bevelled at an angle, giving the piece a soft yet solid form. On the round flat surface of the lid, clouds and cranes are finely incised. What draws particular attention on this bowl is the inscription "Sangyakguk (尙藥局)" inlaid in white on the upper part of the body and the lower part of the lid — lidded bowls of this kind bearing such an inscription are very rare. Sangyakguk was the government office in charge of medicine during the Goryeo period, indicating that this bowl was used to hold medicine. The Sangyakguk existed from the reign of King Mokjong of Goryeo (r. 997–1009) until the reign of King Chungseon (r. 1308–1313), and this bowl is thought to have been made around the twelfth century, within that period. Celadon fragments bearing a similar "Sangyakguk" inscription have been excavated from a kiln site at Yongun-ri, Daegu-myeon, Gangjin County, South Jeolla Province, and similar lidded bowls are also held in the National Museum of Korea and the Yamato Bunkakan in Japan.

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Where it is

Region

Eumseong, Chungbuk

Designation

Treasure · 보물