Uncover Inscriptions on Metal Crafts of Cheongju
Take a closer look at the records by Cheongju residents that tell us stories of the past of the region
Cheongju is the city of Jikji, the world’s oldest metal type printed book. Jikji was published based on a flourishing Buddhist culture of the region. Also, it reflects the excellence of craft skills at that time. Explore the highlight of metal crafts discovered at the Heongdoksa temple and the Saneosa temple sites and take a close look at the inscriptions that mirror the culture and society of the past.
Records inscribed in metal crafts from Heungdeoksa Temple
Metal crafts excavated from Heungdeoksa Temple site in Cheongju include a copper gong inscribed with ‘Heungdeoksa’, a bell, a vajra, a hanging incense burner, balwoo inscribed with ‘Heungdeoksa’, bari inscribed with ‘Yongdusa’, a lamp, a dragon head shaped flagpole ornament.
Bronze gong of Heungdeoksa-myeong (고려)Cheongju Early Printing Museum
Copper gong inscribed with ‘Heungdeoksa (興德寺)’ (興德寺銘靑銅金鼓)
Letters inscribed on the bronze gong of Heungdeoksa-myeongCheongju Early Printing Museum
甲寅五月日西原付興德寺禁口臺坐改造入重參拾貳斤印
In the fifth month of the year of Gap-in, 32 geun of copper was used to fix a gong in Heungdeuksa Temple in Sewon.
Bronze gong of Heungdeoksa-myeong (고려)Cheongju Early Printing Museum
Copper gong inscribed with ‘Heungdeoksa (興德寺)’ (興德寺銘靑銅金鼓)
Letters inscribed on the bronze gong of Heungdeoksa-myeongCheongju Early Printing Museum
甲寅五月日西原付興德寺禁口臺坐改造入重參拾貳斤印
In the fifth month of the year of Gap-in, 32 geun of copper was used to fix a gong in Heungdeuksa Temple in Sewon-bu.
Bronze bowl (고려)Cheongju Early Printing Museum
Copper bari inscribed with ‘Yongdusa’ (龍頭寺銘靑銅鉢)
Letters inscribed on the bronze bowl of Heungdeoksa-myeongCheongju Early Printing Museum
龍頭寺棟梁福眞
Yongdusa Dongryang Bokjin
It tells us about a person named Bokjin who participated in making the metal bari and the relationship between Heungdeoksa Temple and Yongdusa Temple.
Bronze bowl of Hwangtong-myeong (고려)Cheongju Early Printing Museum
Bowl inscribed with ‘Heungdeoksa’ (興德寺銘靑銅鉢盂)
Letters inscribed on a bronze bowl in the tenth year of Emperor HwangtongCheongju Early Printing Museum
皇統十年庚午四月日興德寺依止重大師領仁往生淨土之愿佛鉢一盒具鈒雲入重二斤六兩印
In the fourth month of Gyung-o of the tenth year of emperor Hwang (1150 A.D.), Buddhist monk Young-in of Heungdeuksa Temple crafted and donated a bowl yearning for ‘Rebirth on Pureland’ and the amount of copper used was 2 geun 6 ryang.
Metal craft works excavated from Musimcheon embankment
In 1993, from a pit dug for an electric pole, around 400 pieces of artifects including the copper gong inscribed with ‘Saneosa (思惱寺)’ were discovered. They are invaluable heritages in that the inscriptions are telling us lots of information back then.
Bronze incense burner of Sanaesa-myeong (고려)Cheongju Early Printing Museum
Copper Incense Burner inscribed with Saneosa
Letters inscribed on the bronze incense burner of Sanaesa TempleCheongju Early Printing Museum
靑州思內寺羅漢殿庭仲香䒭合香卄八燈卄六共戊午成 匠新達
Incense and lamps were placed at the center of a forecourt in front of the Disciple’s Hall(Nahanjeon) in Saneosa Temple, Cheongju. A total of 28 incense and 26 lamps were placed, all made by craftman Sin Dal in the 55th year of the sexagenrary cycle.
Bronze bowl with cover (고려)Cheongju Early Printing Museum
Brass bowl with a lid inscribed with Saneosa (思內寺銘靑銅盒)
Bronze bowl with cover (고려)Cheongju Early Printing Museum
…月日造○思內寺…香盒重一斤十兩○
…one geun and ten ryang of metal was used to make an incense jar…at Wol-il Saneosa Temple.
Bronze dish (고려)Cheongju Early Printing Museum
Copper plate inscribed with ‘Saneosa’ (思內寺銘靑銅楪匙)
Letters inscribed on the bronze dish of Sanaesa TempleCheongju Early Printing Museum
太平十五年乙亥四月日造思內寺彌勒怙子入卜四兩一目
In the fourth month of Eulhae of the 15th year of emperor Taepyeong (1035 A.D.) a chamber pot was made for Mireuk Hall in Saneosa Temple, which used four ryangs and one beol of metal.
Bronze bucket for measuring oil (고려)Cheongju Early Printing Museum
Oil measuring bucket inscribed with ‘Saneosa’ (思惱寺銘油斗)
Letters inscribed on the bronze oil measuring bucket of Sanoesa TempleCheongju Early Printing Museum
淸州牧官平挍思惱寺傳受油斗
印
住持重大師 宗常 加成
監 副使 判官 司錄
Cheongju Mokgwan corrected the oil measuring bucket for Saneosa Temple
Supervised by Busa, Pankwan, and Sarok Bucket re-crafted by Abbot, jungdaesa, and jongsang
Bronze bowl for monks (고려)Cheongju Early Printing Museum
Bronze bowl made in the 15th year of emperor Tongwha(統和十五年銘)
Letters inscribed on a bronze bowl in the 15th year of Emperor TonghwaCheongju Early Printing Museum
統和十五年丁酉四月日禪院彌勒鉢○○○
In the fourth month of Jeongyu of the 15th year of emperor Tongwha (997 A.D.), a bowl was... for Miruek Hall in Seonwon Temple.
Bronze wind chime of Jangsinhyo-myeong (고려)Cheongju Early Printing Museum
Copper wind chime inscribed with ‘jang sin hyo’ (長信孝銘靑銅風鐸)
Letters 'Jang Sinhyo' inscribed on a bronze wind chimeCheongju Early Printing Museum
長身孝
jang sin hyo
Resources: Cheongju Early Printing Museum, Cheongju University Museum, Chungbuk University Museum and Cheongju National Musuem
* This online exhibition is created for Jikji Festival in 2022.
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