Abstract

In the twelfth-century Goryeo, celadons began to be used by the royal court and the noble, which enhanced the reputation of celadons. The iconography of diverse seosu (auspicious beasts) employed in the twelfth-century celadon wares is indicative of such enhanced reputation of celadons. A wide variety of auspicious animals, including the dragon, lion, girin, hornless dragon, turtle-dragon, fish-dragon, sea horse, rhinoceros, bonghwang, and nansae decorated particular types of vessels, such as incense burner, large basin, large bowl, maebyeong, ewer, brush rack, and water dropper. Despite being mythical animals, the actual appearance of seosu was perceived as a sign of good omens from heaven and an emblem of a peaceful and prosperous era. The seosu iconography is presumed to have been employed to adorn the spaces designed for Daoism-oriented royal banquets or rituals. In Goryeo of the twelfth century, the royal court strongly advocated Daoism and acquired a deep understanding of Confucian scriptures. As a result, elements such as seosu became the iconographic expression of the king’s authority represented on celadons of Goryeo.