kouro　香炉

KEY WORD :　art history / crafts

Incense burner. Common materials are metal, pottery, horn, and lapis lazuli as well as various gems and woods. There are a variety of basic styles based on function, most serving in a Buddhist context. Suekouro 居香炉 (placed incense burner), set on a table, include: hakuzanro 博山炉 made of bronze or pottery and popular in Tang China; hoya kouro 火舎香炉 (building shaped), one of the Esoteric Buddhist ritual implements; rengegata kouro 蓮華形香炉 (lotus shaped); kiriku kouro き哩字香炉 (Sk; hrih); takoashi kouro 蛸足香炉 (octopus legs), with long and short legs, mainly used at Zen 禅 temples; and kanaegata kouro 鼎形香炉 (tripod shaped). Egouro 柄香炉 (handled incense burners), featuring a funnel form burner with handle and stand, are held in the hand. Tsurikouro 釣香炉 (hanging incense burners), hung near an alcove, have rings for hanging. Zouro 象炉 (elephant shaped incense burners), used for the Esoteric Buddhist kanjou 灌頂 ceremony, were stepped over by initiates to receive ablution. Kunro 薫炉 (fragrance incense burners) were used for perfuming clothes. Kikigouro 聞香炉 (smelling incense burners) were used for koudou 香道 (the incense-smelling game).

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