Gold-inlaid Boshan Furnace
2 min readBoshan Furnace was a kind of common incense burner in the Han Dynasty. The furnace cover is high and pointed, which is cast into the shape of overlapping mountains and seems like “Boshan” according to the legend. Hence Boshan Furnace is named after. Gold-inlaid Boshan Furnace features wonderful skills, which is rare in the world. In the shape of “dou “, it is composed of furnace cover, furnace plate and furnace base. The furnace plate and furnace base are respectively cast and riveted together with the nail. With inlaid gold over the body, cloud pattern embedded with gold wire and gold sheet are beautifully delicate, which smoothly stretches. The furnace has two layers. The lower layer is used to burn incense, and the upper layer is used to keep water for steaming the aroma.
Hazy mountain landscape
Boshan Furnace has a pointed conical-shaped furnace cover. Furnace cover shows the pattern of mountain ranges with different peak shapes. Between mountain ranges, there are clouds, figures and animals. At the time of incensing, the incense is ignited into the furnace. Light smokes run through many holes of furnace cover like the shrouding clouds over the mountain, which presents the effect of hazy mountain landscape and gloomy fifi gures and animal. This looks like the legendary mountain on the sea.
Boshan
“Bo” means “general” and “many”. In Chinese ancient myth, “Boshan” refers to three celestial mountains on the East Sea, i.e., “Penglai”, “Fangzhang” and “Yingzhou”. According to the legend, there are palaces built with gold and silver and the white animals on three mountains. The immortals also live there forever and never die. They not only enjoy leisurely and carefree life, but also refifi ne elixir. Ordinary people who eat elixir can become immortal. “Boshan Furnace” of the Han Dynasty is usually decorated with the winding mountains, on which there are patterns of animals and immortals to introduce the myth and legend.
Owner of Gold-inlaid Boshan Furnace
This delicate Gold-inlaid Boshan Furnace is unearthed from Tomb of Prince Zhongshanjing Liu Sheng and his wife Dou Wan of the Western Han Dynasty. Liu Sheng was half-brother of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty (Liu Che), who became Prince Zhongshanjing under the reign of Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty. Zhongshan Kingdom was located in the east of Taihang Mountain, roughly including today’s south region of Yi River and north region of Hutuo River, with the capital in Lunu (today’s Dingzhou, Hebei). Liu Sheng was the first ruler of Zhongshan Kingdom, who reigned for 42 years.
Dou
Dou was a kind of apparatus in ancient China, which was prevalent in the Shang and Zhou Dynasties. It was mainly made of pottery. It was generally used for containing food, which was sometimes also as a measure. It shapes a bit like a plate with highbase . Some Dous also have lids.
