Dedicated gallery for ancient gilt-bronze masterpiece opens in Buyeo

Gilt-bronze incense burner of Baekje/ Yonhap
SEOUL, December 22 (AJP) - The Buyeo National Museum is set to open a dedicated exhibition hall on Tuesday, exclusively showcasing one of South Korea’s most celebrated artifacts: a gilt-bronze incense burner of the Baekje Kingdom.

Unearthed on Dec. 12, 1993, at a temple site in Buyeo, the incense burner is regarded as a pinnacle of ancient craftsmanship. Its intricate design — featuring a dragon base, a phoenix finial, and a body adorned with immortals, exotic animals, and five musicians — serves as a profound distillation of the Baekje Kingdom’s religious ideology and worldview.

According to museum officials, the new space aims to offer a more immersive experience for visitors.

"While our permanent galleries allow visitors to appreciate the overall elegance and harmony of Baekje culture, this new space is specifically curated to let the public experience the true essence of the incense burner in a focused environment," a museum spokesman said. "The exhibition demonstrates how a single relic can represent the pinnacle of an era's art, technology, and philosophy."
 Gilt-bronze incense burner of Baekje/ Yonhap The exhibition hall for gilt-bronze incense burner of Baekje/ Courtesy of the Buyeo National Museum The exhibition hall for gilt-bronze incense burner of Baekje/ Yonhap
Cho Bo-hee 부장 jobo@ajupress.com