Bronze Bell of Heungguksa Temple, Yeosu

Among the bell-founders of the Joseon period, Kim Ae-rip — who, together with Kim Yong-am and Kim Seong-won, represented the tradition of private, non-official bell-founders — cast this bell in 1665 for Daeheungsa Temple on Dongrisan Mountain, Suncheon. At 121 cm in height, it counted as a large bell for its time. The outer form of the bell is narrow at the top and flares slightly outward toward the bottom, giving it the shape of an artillery shell. A simple yet powerful pair of dragons forms the bell's suspension loop, and a large band of lotus patterning encircles the crown plate. Around the shoulder of the bell, where it meets the crown plate, runs the Six-Syllable Mantra of the Great Bright King (Om Mani Padme Hum); the body of the bell bears bands of raised bosses, figures of bodhisattvas, and a votive tablet praying for the peace of the royal household. The patterning engraved across the body of the bell is, overall, delicate, resplendent and well ordered. This bell is a representative work displaying the characteristics of Kim Ae-rip's bells, whose technical skill rivalled that of the Monk Sain, and it survives in good condition.

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Where it is

Region

Yeosu, Jeonnam & Gwangju

Designation

Treasure · 보물