The trend of “reviving the antiques”(倣古), which involved studying and inheriting the traditions of the “Three Dynasties” ― Xia, Shang and Zhou ― is an important theme when it comes to understanding the culture of the Song Dynasty. An article on the artifacts of Goryeo in Gaoli tujing 高麗圖經, illustrated text of the Xuanhe 宣和 Emissary to Korea in 1123, contains an interesting passage informing us that objects following the customs of the Three Dynasties were also used during the Goryeo period. This thesis contains a comparative research on artifacts modeled after the antiques in the Goryeo and Song periods, and an interpretation of the way craft culture brought in through connections with the outside world was understood and accepted by the people of Goryeo.
Interest in reviving antiques during the Song Dynasty went as far as recreating ancient bronze vessels of ancient times, and gradually brought vitality to the production of artifacts over the course of various changes. This trend reached Goryeo, boosted by lively cultural exchanges with Song, leading to the production and consumption of new craftworks that had not been prevalent in previous times. As time went by, recreated antiques that had initially been produced under the influence of Song began to show pronounced characteristics unique to Goryeo. The phase of reviving the antiques according to their original forms passed by, and the taotie ?? patterns on pot-shaped incense burners were replaced by unique Goryeo poryusugeum 蒲柳水禽文(reeds, willows and waterfowl) patterns, while bottles with a head of a beast and two handles(獸頭?耳銜?甁) became ewers and were used as everyday objects. Lightning patterns also became fashionable as fine decorative elements once again, influenced by the trend of archaism.
Meanwhile, comparative research into archaism raises important questions. Unlike the Song Dynasty, where almost all types of antique bronze wares were recreated and entered use as everyday vessels, in Goryeo the practice was limited to certain forms only, such as incense burners and vases, while, in terms of materials, pottery was used more frequently than metal. This phenomenon can be interpreted in several ways. Firstly, the question of whether the influence of Song Dynasty"s archaism was absolute may be addressed.
The background to archaism contains heavily Chinese overtones of restoring the traditions of ethnic Han culture and re-establishing Confucian values. Therefore, although Goryeo did show a preference for Han culture, there is room for doubt when it comes to the question of whether Goryeo understood and made active use of archaism, into which such conceptual significance had been projected, as everyday craft objects. The extent of Song’s influence in the field of metal wares, moreover, deserves consideration. As is well known, Goryeo was a period when metal ware of a high standard, particularly outstanding decorative techniques such as inlaying silver thread(入絲), repousse(打出), and ring-matting(魚子文) were developed. Few Song Dynasty artifacts, on the other hand, that can be compared to the delicate silver-thread inlay or high-relief repousse found on Goryeo craftworks. Such works, on the contrary, draw comparisons with those of the Liao Dynasty or are regarded as highlighting the independence of Goryeo itself.
Goryeo accepted antiquarianism as one part of the craft culture prevalent during the Song Dynasty and accommodated it according to its own choices. While actively accepting Song’s fashion of archaism in the development of pottery culture, Goryeo generated metal wares different from those of Song by reflecting the tastes of the people of Goryeo. The production of and trends in antiquarianism in the Goryeo period show characteristics distinct from those of Song in several respects, while opening a variety of perspectives onto the exchange of craft culture.