Jegi: Korean Ritual Objects

The lush red color comes from an iron-oxide pigment that was applied and burnished onto this vessel before it was fired. Found primarily in tombs, jars such as this one were likely used in funerary rituals.

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

Comma-shaped ornaments were attached to gold crowns as well as strung with glass beads to create elaborate necklaces and chest decorations. Gold earrings were worn by both men and women during the Three Kingdoms period and are the most prevalent type of jewelry found in tombs. The jewelry was made using a variety of goldsmith techniques, from simple hammering to the more complex method of granulation, in which tiny gold beads are adhered to the surface to create intricate designs.

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

Comma-shaped ornaments were attached to gold crowns as well as strung with glass beads to create elaborate necklaces and chest decorations. Gold earrings were worn by both men and women during the Three Kingdoms period and are the most prevalent type of jewelry found in tombs. The jewelry was made using a variety of goldsmith techniques, from simple hammering to the more complex method of granulation, in which tiny gold beads are adhered to the surface to create intricate designs.

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

The bulbous bowl that tapers at the mouth gives this lidded vessel a striking silhouette. The lid—with its flat top, embossed lines, and delicate knob—works together with the flared foot to provide a sense of elevation that counterbalances the full, rounded body.

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

Subtle details contribute to the elegant form of this bronze bowl. The slightly flared, rolled mouth and ridge along the body align with the delicate handle; they may have both decorative and structural purpose. The handle’s flat top and rectangular shape offer a contrast with the spherical bowl.

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

Burning incense is an essential part of Buddhist rituals. Most surviving Goryeo-period censers take the shape of a deep bowl on a fluted base; this vessel also has three legs and an ornate top. The bronze casting of this piece combined with its delicate form show the skillfulness that Goryeo artisans achieved in metalwork, as they also had done in ceramics and mother-of-pearl lacquerware.

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

Joseon white porcelain vessels were specially produced for use in rites associated with Neo-Confucianism. In keeping with the elevated forms of earlier ritual wares, they often have a high foot like the one that supports this cup.

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from January 21–October 15, 2023

On view from January 21–October 15, 2023

On view from January 21–October 15, 2023

On view from January 21–October 15, 2023

On view from January 21–October 15, 2023

Footed bird-shaped vessels have been found primarily at burial sites on the southern Korean peninsula, near the Nakdong River. Occurring in pairs, they probably served as funeral ritual vessels and burial objects. Liquid was poured into this example through an opening at the back and flowed out through the bird’s tail.

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

Distinctive sculptural pottery such as this piece, which exhibits both technical command and imagination, is a highlight of the art of the Three Kingdoms period.

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

The pedestal dishes displayed in this case were used in daily life as well as in mortuary rituals. They are typical of stoneware produced in the Silla Kingdom and the Gaya Federation. Vessels like these have been excavated in large amounts, with and without their lids, from tomb sites along the Nakdong River, in southeast Korea, the area of the former territories of Silla and Gaya.

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

Tall stands with perforated rectangular or triangular patterns are distinctive to Korea and representative of the high-fired gray ceramics found in Gaya and Silla tombs. They were meant to hold a vessel, typically a jar, as seen in the adjacent display. Their height indicates that these stands were reserved for ancestral and funerary rituals.

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

The assemblage of ceramics here illustrates the variety of vessels produced during the Three Kingdoms period. Though often displayed as a singular object, each vessel was made for a specific purpose and used in combination with other wares. Some had an everyday function, while others, such as the pairings of large jars and tall stands, were likely used only in ritual and funerary contexts.

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

The playful rendition of horses on this vessel reflects a broader whimsical aesthetic of the period. Horses were an integral part of Silla society and culture, as evidenced in part by the horse trappings buried (among other earthly possessions, including gold accessories and ceramics) with the deceased. Pots with equine images, however, are relatively rare.

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

This jar has an impressive cover with a handle, which creates a striking silhouette. Both jar and cover feature fabric-like impressed patterns.

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

The densely packed abstract design on this jar was created by impressing stamps onto the clay body. The vessel’s decoration extends and amplifies the geometric patterns of earlier periods, as seen in the pottery from the fifth and sixth centuries on view nearby.

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

Vessels of this type were used in everyday life but also served as mortuary vessels and were buried in tombs. This jar, hand-formed using a coil-and-wheel technique, is lightweight for its size. Impressions of the cord-wrapped paddle used to shape are visible on the surface. Its light- and dark-gray tones were formed during the firing process.

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

Bronze utensils are common burial objects. While they are similar in form, with narrow, pointed bowls and curved handles, the utensils on view here were beaten from flat metal and not produced from molds, thus each is unique. Some of the spoons have a rounder, smaller bowl while others have been embellished with swallow-tail ends and incised designs. The ladle on view nearby has a bowl with a scalloped edge that is echoed in the handle.

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

Bronze utensils are common burial objects. While they are similar in form, with narrow, pointed bowls and curved handles, the utensils on view here were beaten from flat metal and not produced from molds, thus each is unique. Some of the spoons have a rounder, smaller bowl while others have been embellished with swallow-tail ends and incised designs. The ladle on view nearby has a bowl with a scalloped edge that is echoed in the handle.

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

Bronze utensils are common burial objects. While they are similar in form, with narrow, pointed bowls and curved handles, the utensils on view here were beaten from flat metal and not produced from molds, thus each is unique. Some of the spoons have a rounder, smaller bowl while others have been embellished with swallow-tail ends and incised designs. The ladle on view nearby has a bowl with a scalloped edge that is echoed in the handle.

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

This box has two birds incised on its lid. The long tails and multiple strands of feathers suggest that they are phoenixes, mythological creatures that signal divinity and strength. Because the phoenix does not prey on other animals and is linked to rebirth, it is an important auspicious symbol in Buddhism.

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

Produced in limited quantities and reserved for the elite, silver and gold metalwork survives in fewer numbers today than bronze. Unlike the nearby bronze examples, these bowls lack feet. They may have been burial goods not used in rituals. Precious metal objects tend to be found in the elaborate stone chamber tombs linked to royal and wealthy people.

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

With its balanced proportions, undecorated surface, and lid with a bud-shaped knob, the large jar reflects the refined aesthetics of the new ruling ideology of Neo-Confucianism during the Joseon dynasty. Pure white vessels like this were used as special tableware and also for ceremony and burial.

The miniature version is an example of the myeonggi (spirit goods) made especially for burial. It would have been part of a set of tiny objects. The rise in popularity of myeonggi illustrates a change in funerary customs that aligned with Neo-Confucian practices.

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

The set of thirty-four epitaph tablets (myoji) commemorates the life of O Myeong-hang (1673–1728), a scholar-official and calligrapher who served under several Joseon kings and eventually rose to the position of state councillor. An important historical document, the set provides insight into the mortuary practices of Neo-Confucian society in eighteenth-century Korea, when epitaphs describing the life and achievements of the deceased were written on stone or ceramic tablets and placed inside graves.

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

Filial piety, honor and respect for parents, is one of the central principles of Confucianism, and ceremonial rituals honoring one’s ancestors—called jesa—were fundamental to Joseon society. Jesa were performed in a sadang (ancestral shrine hall) with name tablets and a table bearing food and drink offerings. This painting depicts the exterior of a sadang with an offering table in front of it. Ancestral shrine paintings were used as substitutes by people who did not have a sadang or were conducting the rites away from home.

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

With their modest size and portability, braziers—mainly used for cooking and heating—have a long history as common objects in upper-class Korean households and were also part of ritual preparations. In the late Joseon dynasty, an increase in demand resulted in more ornate braziers. This example has incised images of auspicious symbols such as plum and lotus blossoms; stylized characters for happiness and abundance; and handles in the shape of bats—another sign of good fortune.

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

During the Joseon dynasty in Korea, the commemoration of ancestors through ritual took on a new significance. Stone sculptures of human figures and animals were placed around grave mounds to honor and guard the tomb. This example was one of a pair. The figure wears the robe and hat of a civil official. He holds an audience tablet, lifted with both hands and held below his chin. This pose, along with his slightly hunched shoulders, indicates respect and humility.

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

The bak is a clapper made of six flat wood boards tied together at one end. Since the Unified Silla dynasty (668–935), its clattering sound has marked the start of a ritual or court performance and punctuated the end of a musical section. The musician playing this time-keeping instrument often serves as the conductor and leader of the ensemble.

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

The taepyeongso, a double-reed instrument with a conical wood body and cup-shaped metal bell, is related to earlier Chinese and Middle Eastern wind instruments. It was introduced to Korea in the fourteenth century during the Goryeo dynasty (918–1392), when its piercing sounds accompanied court processions and popular music. Produced nearly a century apart, the taepyeongso shown here illustrate subtle changes in the development of the instrument over time.

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

The musician holds the haegeum, a two-stringed fiddle, vertically on the knee while playing it with the bow. It appears in records from the Goryeo dynasty (918–1392) and is one of the most widely utilized instruments in court music and popular ensembles. The bridge can be moved to alter the tonal quality, and the cloth hides the player’s finger movements.

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

An extremely rare celadon flute, this piece was probably custom-made and intended primarily as a decorative object rather than as a functional instrument. The flying cranes, mushroom-shaped clouds, and miniature chrysanthemum blossoms inlaid along its body appear frequently on Goryeo celadon. Gold mixed with lacquer resin was applied to the mouth, a technique, known as kintsugi, used to mend and restore ceramic.

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

The danso is an end-blown vertical flute with four finger holes and a thumb hole in the back. The flutist can play a higher octave with an increased volume and force of air. Danso literally means “short, vertical flute,” and, accordingly, it is the shortest vertical wind instrument.

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

A gong hung from a frame, the jing is used in court and popular music. It is struck with a cloth-covered mallet to create softer tones. Depending on the force of the strike, it can produce gentle, prolonged sounds or loud, crashing ones.

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

The sogo, literally “small drum,” is a double-headed handheld drum played with a beater. Like many Korean drums, it is decorated with a taegeuk, a tricolor roundel symbolizing yin-yang. The instrument features prominently in music in which the players march and dance.

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

The daegeum and sogeum are transverse bamboo flutes having six finger holes. On the daegeum an additional hole covered by a membrane produces a sound that gives it a nasal, buzzing timbre. Matching the meaning of so (small), the sogeum is a shorter flute that no longer has a membrane. Both flutes are used in court and popular music and have their origins in the Unified Silla period (668–918), with their invention linked to a story about King Sinmun (r. 681–92).

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

This zither, typically plucked with a short bamboo stick, is traditionally a scholar’s instrument. Geomungo means "black crane zither," and the instrument is said to have been invented around the fourth century by a government official whose playing enticed the bird to dance. Two strings produce the melody; the others are drones. This nineteenth-century example is smaller than its modern counterpart, and its thinner silk strings produce a more refined and softer sound

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

Reflecting the instrument’s name, which translates as “dragon drum,” the yonggo has a lively dragon design. Though similar to the nearby gyobanggo, it is smaller, making it easy to play while slung across the musician’s waist. Ergonomically efficient, it has a portability ideal for processional music.

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

Also called a janggu, this hourglass-shaped drum with two heads is the most prominent drum in traditional Korean music and appears in a wide variety of musical types. The connecting ropes and belts are adjusted to change the pitch. The drum can be played seated or carried across the body with a sling. In court music, the janggo is played with a bamboo stick and one hand, while in popular music and janggo dances, two sticks are used.

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

The teukgyeong, gyobanggo, and jwago are percussion instruments used in court rituals and banquets.

The L-shaped marble-slab of the teukgyeong is struck to signal the end of courtly pieces. Its pitch is governed by the stone’s thickness—the thinner it is, the higher the pitch. A larger version of the instrument, with sixteen tuned slabs, is called the pyeon gyeong. Both types are decorated with ducks symbolizing joy and fidelity, phoenixes for prosperity and rebirth, and pinecones for longevity.

The jwago and gyobanggo are both drums set within wood frames and played with mallets. The jwago is hung vertically providing a flat surface for a seated musician, while the gyobanggo is suspended horizontally. When used in processions, the gyobanggo was supported by two crossed poles carried by four people. Today it is featured in a traditional court dance (mugo).

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

The teukgyeong is a percussion instrument used in court rituals and banquets. The L-shaped marble slab, which is struck at the lower end with a horn mallet, is sounded at the end of courtly ceremonial pieces. The stone's thickness determines its pitch; this one sounds approximately middle C. A larger version of the instrument, comprising sixteen tuned slabs, is called the p'yon'gyong. Both types are decorated with auspicious symbols of ducks (joy and fidelity), phoenixes (prosperity and rebirth), and pine cones (longevity).

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023

Contemporary Korean ceramics often embody the dynamic dialogue with the past that many artists are engaged in today. Inspired by Joseon ritual vessels, the works by Kim Yikyung and Lee Kang-hyo exemplify that dialogue and its variety. While differing in shape, material, and surface decoration, both works echo a bo, a footed rectangular vessel for grain. The two artists included the customary ridged flanges (ribbing) of ritual vessels, but each has interpreted the decorative element in their own way.

On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023