A Study on the Korean Bronze Pagoda

한국(韓國)의 청동탑(靑銅塔)에 관한 연구(硏究)

The first Pagoda of Korea was introduced from China, and adapted from the wooden multi-storied pavilion. Also in Bronze one, multi-storied type of wooden pagoda was adapted. Bronze pagoda was used to buddhist ossuary and a kind of metalwork. Metalworks were made of gold, silver, copper, or iron by one of the methods of production-casting or hammering and decorated design of incision, raise, openwork, gold- plating or inlaying with gold and silver. Sometimes it was used as the easy carriage of Buddha image by guess. In most cases, the plan of Bronze pagoda was square and podium was one story. but in the advance of podium two-storied platform appeared. Column appeared in a symbol, so it didn't appear in a square and circular form. It means that the column was vertical member which only divided the wall. In koryo period, Gabled roof and Half-hipped roof was spreaded in public but Bronze pagoda was used to square Hipped roof. Vertical shaft over roof(上輪部), apart from body of pagoda(塔身部), was inserted on the hole above the Bokbal(覆鉢) for the balance of pagoda. And a thick iron bar put in the roof to the platform. It was sustained the balance of pagoda. The stories of pagoda were various from 3rd stories to 9, the lower stories was larger scale and the higher was smaller one.