고려 금속공예에 보이는 遼文化의 영향

Abstract

After it established a peaceful relationship with the Khitans, Goryeo became politically and socially a stable place, and between the 11th and 12th century during the rule of King Munjong and King Injong, it gave birth to an elegant and unique craft culture that was both naturalistic and ornamental. The metal craft of this period shows the highest level of aesthetic craftsmanship with the finest techniques in the history of Korean metal craft, possessing form, practicality, and ornamentality. At the root were the sculpting skills and aesthetic sensibilities of Goryeo people but the official exchanges between Goryeo and the Khitan Empire that were carried out in the 11th century and the inflow and acceptance of the northern culture through the naturalization policy of the Khitans were also important factors. For about 50 years starting from the rule of King Hyeonjong in the 11th century, Goryeo had official exchanges with Khitan and, in formal envoy dispatches, court costumes and silverware made by master government artisans with the highest level of craftsmanship were given and received. There were most likely exchanges of basic craft forms and techniques as well. Khitans, nomads that moved along areas with hunting, fishing, and aquatic plants, inherited the Tang Dynasty culture of the Hebei, Shanxi, and Liaoning areas, assimilated the Han Dynasty culture and, adding its own unique basic forms and techniques into the mix, established the 10th and 11th century north grassland culture. Goryeo craft could advance further because some of the Khitan artisans with considerable level of craftsmanship including metallurgy skills became naturalized and worked as government artisans in Goryeo. Metal craft in Goryeo shows elements of Liao Dynasty culture in the formal aspects of its Buddhist craft, such as Kundika (淨甁), and of its general artworks, such as twin dragon mirrors and encased ornamental knives. The most noticeable elements are the patterns: Buddhist patterns, such as double dragon, taegeukhwayeombojumun (太極火焰寶珠文) and poryusugeummun (蒲柳水禽文: water, willow and waterfowl), and general patterns, such as peoniesand bamboos. In technical aspects, the dense ring-matting technique using multiple chisels (多重釘) is the basic layer and, for main patterns, the high volume repoussé (打出技法) is the representational technique, and these achieved their peak during this period by adding the Khitan techniques to the foundation of the craft tradition from the Unified Silla Period. This paper analyzed from various angles the elements of Liao Dynasty culture that are reflected in the 11th and 12th century craftsmanship, in which we can see the quintessence of Korean metal craft, and investigated their influence on Goryeo craft and their significance in terms of history of craft relations.