
Bronze
Cast in the middle of the 16th century, this bell is one of the most outstanding bells from the Joseon dynasty. It has an inscription of 225 characters in 38 rows which states that it was cast in 1644. It was listed as Tangible Cultural Property No. 90 of South Jeolla.
The only surviving bell with this design, the crown is in the form of four dragons. The band on the shoulder features two rings of honeysuckle patterns, together with the Six-Syllable Mantra. The upper part of the bell has four panels of studs, which alternate with images of Bodhisattvas, while the lower part has a band decorated with twin dragons and a flaming motif.
For more details, go to the Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Artifacts, page 379.