The Splendor of Goryeo Celadon

The figurative and vigorous representation of the grapevines, reminiscent of literati paintings, distinguishes this jar from others with the same design, making it one of the finest white porcelain masterpieces.

Bowls

Following the introduction of Chinese tea bowls, the popularity of Zen Buddhism and the cultural habit of meditation with tea facilitated the production of celadon in the Goryeo dynasty. Prior to the large-scale production of Korean celadon, imported Chinese porcelain had been in general uses, and the most popular type was Dawan, bowls for drinking tea. From the mid-Goryeo dynasty, wan was significantly less produced and became overshadowed by the production of bal, bowls bigger than wan, which seems to have been related to changes in types of tea and ways of drinking tea.

Celadon with lotus petal designs was produced in various styles and qualities through the early and mid-Goryeo dynasty. The lotus petal designs were at first applied on various types of celadon, but the usage was gradually limited to bowls, dishes, and cups. Those lotus petal designs were assumed to be evenly influenced by northern and southern China, and emerged during the early and mid-Goryeo dynasty.

Cups, Cup-stands

In the Goryeo dynasty, many celadon cups were produced in various shapes and designs. In particular, the mid-and late Goryeo periods saw the emergence of new shapes of cups such as spinning-top-shaped cups and stem cups.

Cup-stands were produced using various materials including metalware, wooden lacquer ware, and earthenware. They were produced from the early Goryeo dynasty, and most were excavated from kiln sites that created quality earthenware.

They have been discovered among goods salvaged from the sea and at sites of Buddhist temples, tombs, buildings of the Goryeo dynasty, with the most discovered at Buddhist temple sites. this implies that saucers were sued for rituals in Buddhist temples.

Ewers

Celadon ewers were produced and consumed throughout the entire Goryeo dynasty, and were everyday goods closely related to the liveliboods of Goryeo's people. They were initially used as liquor ewers, but gradually became used as tea ewers ad tea culture became popular. Ewers of the early Goryeo dynasty were produced under the influence of Chinese yuezhouyao ewers, and later, there was a clear influence from Chinese ceramic ewers created in Song, Liao and Yuan dynasties around the same era. Goryeo's celadon ewers were greatly influenced by Chinese ceramic and metalware in general, but the influence was embraced to varying degrees in Goryeo's own style and enabled it to change and develop into a unique form.

Bottles

Bottles used as vessels for drinking and storing liquid are essential in daily life, and were used for various rites and as burial goods. Among Goryeo celadon, bottles were among the most produced vessels, following small bowls, large bowls, dishes and cups. They vary in type and form, including long-necked bottles, oil bottles, lobed vases, purified water bottles, curved bottles, and okhochun wine-containing vases. Bottles of the Goryeo dynasty were also created as earthenware and metalware.

This bottle consists of a flower-shaped mouth, a long neck, an oriental melon-shaped body, and mounted foot. This is assumed to have been used for offering beverages in rituals, or as a vase to brighten various banquets.

Maebyeong

These bottles were first made in Tang dynasty China, and spread to Korea and Japan. In Korea, they were produced in large quantities from the Goryeo dynasty. They have round and broad shoulders tapering downward. Designs were applied using elaborate, diverse methods such as intaglio, relief, and inlay. These bottles are known to hav been used for containing liquor, tea, and flowers; transporting liquid; or performing rituals. Most meabyeong bottles were made with a lid, and were used while propped against wooden furniture or a stand.

This is celadon prunus vase with a cloud and crane design in black and white inlay. It is rare that the lid has remained intact, and the container appears to have used the lid to cover and preserve its contents.

This bottle has a hemispherical mouth and elegant lines with broad shoulders. On four parts of the body, chrysanthemum and bamboo designs were inlaid with outstanding technique.

Covered Bowls

Hap, a covered bowl, had various purposes based on size, shape and material. They are relatively low in height, and their lid and body are sharped with a protruded rim and a furrow, respectively, so that they are finely interlocked. The edges of the lid's upper side were carved smoothly to form a slope. The upper side itself is divided with two concentric circles, and elaborately adorned with incised or inlaid motifs of chrysanthemum, chrysanthemum vines and lotus petals using different decorative techniques. These covered bowls appear to have been used for cosmetics powder or incense.

Pillow

Celadon pillows were influenced by Chinese pottery pillows that were popular in the Song and Jin dynasties China, but show characteristics unique to the Goryeo dynasty in that there are holes on both the left and right rectangular sides. The boles, in particular, appear to have been the standard for the shape of pottery pillows as they were considered "a pathway towards a dream? according to the popular ancient story of The World Inside a Pillow, which was introduced to Goryeo in the late 11th century.

Tiles

Buildings in the Goryeo dynasty were decorated using roof tiles and other tiles. Celadon tiles have been excavated not only form celadon kiln sites like Gangjin and Buan but also in considerable quantities from Buddhist temples, implying they were used for decorating temples.