뉴스레터

The 6.3 meter-high stone lantern is at the former site of the second temple of Sanggyeong yongcheonbu, the supreme capital of the ancient kingdom Balhae that is now Bohaizhen (渤海鎭) in Ning'an city (寧安市) of China's Heilongjiang province. This basalt lantern seems to have been made in the ninth century, judging from its ornamental details including the lotus flower pattern and petals pointing upward. Such details seem to have inherited cultural traditions from the Three Kingdoms' Period, but also influenced by a layout established during the period of Unified Silla.

The lantern possesses all the necessary components such as a sangdaeseok (上臺石) and hadaeseok (下臺石), which are the upper and lower pedestals, a pillar referred to as ganjuseok (竿柱石), a fire box called hwasaseok (火舍石), an umbrella-shaped top called oakgae (屋蓋), and the uppermost ornamental tier known as a sangryun (相輪). The lower pedestal, fire box, and umbrella-shaped top are all octagonal and the pillar is entasis-shaped. The upper pedestal is in the form of an angryeonhwa (仰蓮花), a lotus with its petals pointing upward. The fire box above the angryeonhwa has eight windows and sixteen holes and supports an octagonal top. By adopting the architectural style of wooden buildings, the lantern's top and fire box offers a quintessential glimpse of Balhae architecture.