Bell of King Seongdeok

Artistic characteristics

The bell is considered a masterpiece of Unified Silla art. It is unique among Korean bronze bells because of the presence of delicate designs and the title text, written in an elegant literary language. The whole structure, including its decorative elements, produces a wide range of sound frequencies; the sound tube absorbs high frequency waves, contributing to a distinctive beat.

The hook of the bell is in the shape of a dragon's head. There are many relief patterns on the bell, including flower patterns along the rim and shoulder. There are also reliefs of lotus flowers, grass, and a pair of two apsaras (heavenly maidens). The striking point of the bell (dangjwa) is also in the shape of a lotus and sits between two of the apsara reliefs. The bottom of the bell is in a rhombic shape, designed to augment the sound reverberation.

The inscriptions on the bell (the title text), over a thousand Hanja, are a fine example of Korean calligraphy and carving. They provide detailed information about the bell and why it was cast.

The column the bell hangs on is quite firm. Even a column of the same diameter, made of a modern alloy, might bend under the weight of the bell, yet the bell still hangs on an ancient column that has lasted for several centuries.

File:Apsara relief. Bell of King Seongdeok.National Museum of Gyeongju.Korea.2018.P1410600.jpg|Apsara relief File:Text relief. Bell of King Seongdeok.National Museum of Gyeongju.Korea.2018.P1410605.jpg|Carved Korean calligraphy

Legend

The bell is commonly known as the Emile Bell in both Korean and English. Emile, pronounced /em-ee-leh/, is an ancient Silla term for "mommy".

According to legend, the first bell that was cast produced no sound when it was struck. The bell was recast many times but with no success. The king that had commissioned the bell died thereafter and his young son took over the project with the help of the queen. The son carried out what his father had started but he too had little success. Later, a monk dreamed that if a child was cast into the metal, the bell would ring. The monk then took a child from the village and had her cast into the metal. When the bell was complete, the bell made the most beautiful sound when struck.

However, some believe the legend may actually be a modern invention and that the story and name originated in the 1920s. A story that was published about the "Eomilne bell" or "Earmilne bell" (어밀네 종) may have been distorted in its retelling. Recent arguments suggest that the legend about bell above may have been confused with the legend of the Emile bell.

References

References

1. "성덕대왕신종 (聖德大王神鐘)". Academy of Korean Studies.
2. Administration, Cultural Heritage. "Gyeongjueupseong Walled Town - Heritage Search".
3. Korea Tourism Organization. "The Divine Bell of King Seongdeok".
4. Kim Seock Hyun. "Beat Maps of King Song-Dok Bell, Beat Map Drawing Method of Bell Type Structures and Beat Maps of the King Seong-deok Divine Bell".
5. (March 2005). "Beat characteristics and beat maps of the King Seong-deok Divine Bell". Journal of Sound and Vibration.
6. Yu HengJun
7. Hulbert. 1906
8. Hulbert, Homer B.. (1906). "The Passing of Korea". Doubleday, Page & Co.
9. (1929-09-27). 송작생/松雀生 cited in. link. 초록불. (2009-02-10)