Unveiling the Secret of the Gilded Silver Turtle Box from Famen Temple: A Mystery—Is It a Tea Utensil or an Incense Holder?

Gilded Silver Turtle Box ， Tang Dynasty ， long About  28.3 Centimeter, wide About 15 Centimeter, tall About 13 Centimeter ， Heavy About 1002  K. National-level cultural relic. 1987 Unearthed from the underground palace of the Tang Dynasty Pagoda at Famen Temple in Fufeng, Shaanxi Province.

Split hammering ， Welded forming ， Flat repoussé ornamentation Gilded Gold. The object is modeled after a turtle shape. ， Raise one's head and stretch the neck. ， Drum-shaped with a flared mouth ， Hollowed-out openings in the middle and at both ends of the nose and mouth. ， The headpiece features a herringbone pattern with oblique checkered designs. The dorsal surface of the shell is engraved with tortoise-shell motifs, complemented by a surrounding border of scale patterns. ， The inside of the cover has an oval-shaped sub-mouth frame. The turtle’s body is hollow inside. ， Surface is plump and full. ， The base is decorated with floral stamen patterns. The chest and lower neck area feature several double-cord patterns filled with conical dot motifs, while the legs are thick and sturdy. ， The diagonally patterned surface is filled with combed纹. The four legs are strong and hollow inside. The tail curves naturally. ， Highly intriguing. Its design is realistically biomimetic. ， Vivid and lifelike ， Seems to be waiting in sight. ， As if walking, yet not quite walking. ， It possesses strong artistic appeal.

Functional Cognition · The crowd's opinion (Tea Set Talk) Tea storage container With Store hot water )

1、 Tea storage container. Box ， It is used to store tea leaves ground into powder. The idea of classifying the gilded silver turtle box as a tea utensil for storing tea powder is based on... 1987 Mr. Han Wei, who led the annual excavation of the Tang Dynasty pagoda’s underground palace at Famen Temple, is the primary representative. ， And it broke new ground in the article “Examining Tang Dynasty Gold and Silver Tea Utensils Unearthed from Sites Such as Famen Temple from the Perspective of Tea-Drinking Customs.” ， This is also the mainstream view held by the vast majority of scholars. Numerous books and publications on the Famen Temple, published one after another, identify it as tea ware.

2、 Store hot water. Use the gilded silver turtle box as tea ware. ， However, the view that hot water can be stored for brewing tea was discussed by Mr. Wang Cangxi and Mr. Tian Shenghua in their work “Tea Utensils Unearthed from the Underground Palace of the Famen Temple Pagoda and…” < The Classic of Tea · The Four Vessels > first jointly proposed in the article “Comparative Study” ， Rare in academic circles, Mr. Wang Cangxi originally understood the gilded silver turtle box as an incense burner. ， But later, I repeatedly examined the artifacts and compared them with the records in "The Classic of Tea." ， Only then did we arrive at this unique and novel perspective.

Doubts about Tea Utensils · Full of defects

The partially enclosed silver-gilt turtle box is hardly suitable as a tea-storage container.

We can start by examining the records in the literature. 《 The Classic of Tea · Recorded in "The Four Vessels" ： “ Paper bag ， Place it between layers of thick, white Shantou paper. Use it to store the roasted tea, ensuring that its aroma does not escape. ” The Classic of Tea · Recorded in "The Five Boils" ： “ Thereafter, while still warm, it was stored in a paper pouch, ensuring that its essence and vital energy would not dissipate until the cold weather set in. ” The Classic of Tea · Detailed records of Luo He in "The Four Vessels" ： “ Luo Mo ， Store it with the lid closed. ， Place it in the middle of the bamboo. Split a large bamboo and bend it. ， Wear it in silk gauze. Its fit... ， Made from bamboo joints. ， Or bend the cedar and lacquer it. ， Three inches high ， Cover one inch ， Bottom two inches ， Caliber four inches. ” As recorded in Zhao Ji's "Da Guan Cha Lun" from the Song Dynasty, ： “ After baking, immediately store it in a bamboo lacquerware container that has been used for a long time. ” The above-mentioned literature shows us that ： Whether tea is wrapped in paper pouches ， Still use luhe and bamboo lacquerware to store tea. ， The common characteristic is that... “ To store roasted tea ， So that its fragrance is not lost. ”。

The partial details of the gilded silver turtle box are exactly the opposite. ， It’s not completely sealed. The turtle’s head has five perforations—located at the nostrils, the center of the mouth, and the left and right sides of the mouth. If used as a tea storage container... ， Store tea leaves. ， After the lid is securely fastened. ， The aroma of the tea will continuously emanate and dissipate—or even be lost—from the perforated opening at the turtle’s head. ， It easily gets mixed up with the odors of other foods and objects. ， Causes the tea's aroma to be impure. ， It will directly affect the elegant quality and ambiance of brewing and enjoying tea.

The turtle box is not suitable for pouring hot water or tea leaves into it.

Some experts claim that this device makes it convenient to scoop tea leaves and pour water. However, a real-life experiment shattered this illusion. When the experiment was conducted using replicas to simulate scooping tea leaves and pouring hot water, the tea leaves repeatedly got stuck at the tiny opening at the front end of the turtle’s head, forcing them to squeeze out with great difficulty from either side of the turtle’s mouth. Meanwhile, the hot water gushed out simultaneously from five openings—around the nose and mouth—without any discernible pattern in volume or direction; it simply couldn’t be gathered together, making the operation extremely inconvenient.

The uneven bottom of the turtle box makes it extremely inconvenient to retrieve tea residue.

From the Gilded Silver Turtle Box ( Copy ) From a practical standpoint, the effect is... ， Gilded silver turtle box, inside the turtle's belly ， The hollow, concave, and flat belly of the four-legged turtle creates an uneven surface. The flat area in the middle makes it convenient to handle tea residue directly using tools such as a tea scoop. ； However, the most significant issue is that the edges of the turtle’s belly and the hollow, concave recesses on its four legs make it inconvenient to handle the tea leaves. ， Difficult to remove. Like this. ， Use this as a container for storing tea leaves. ， It is very unfavorable for practical operation. 。

Lock the incense holder · Well-founded reasoning

In her article “A Study of the Tea Utensils and Artifacts Unearthed from the Underground Palace of Famen Temple,” Ms. Liu Wenjuan proposes: ： “ The silver turtle box is not a tea caddy for storing tea leaves. ， And it could be an incense blend. ( box ) Or it could be a turtle-shaped container. ” In his article “Incense Utensils Unearthed from the Underground Palace of the Tang Dynasty Pagoda at Famen Temple and Their Significance,” Mr. Jiang Jie argues that... ： “ The so-called “ Gilded Silver Turtle Box ” Designating it as an incense utensil seems more consistent with its intended function. ， It could also be renamed the Turtle-shaped Incense Burner. ” These two scholars discuss in the article. ， Based on functional theoretical analysis and reasoning, the gilt-silver turtle box is suspected to be an incense burner. 。

The turtle box meets the requirements for use as an incense burner.

The clever perforations and unique spatial design of the turtle box.

Historically inherited incense burner ， Although they come in various shapes and styles. ， Different materials ， Of various sizes ， Any incense burner with a lid ， There must be vent holes of varying degrees. For example: ： The gilded reclining turtle with lotus design five-footed silver incense burner unearthed from the underground palace of Famen Temple; the elephant-headed Vajra five-footed bronze incense burner; and the high-circumference-footed silver incense burner. ， Gilded Silver Incense Burner with Lotus Design and Lid ， There are also other incense burners—such as gilded silver incense pouches—from various historical periods, both excavated and handed down through the ages. The lids and related parts of these enclosed incense-burning vessels feature ingeniously designed perforated openings tailored to the characteristics of each artifact, allowing the fragrant smoke to waft freely. The gilded silver turtle box’s head has five openings of varying sizes, two of which—the nostrils—are relatively round. ， The middle part of the mouth is semicircular. ， But it’s slightly smaller than the nostrils. The left and right ends of the mouth are carved into curved triangles. ， The area of the open hole is significantly larger than that of the other holes. The size, shape, and location of these holes all differ from one another. ， Based on the physiological characteristics of the turtle's eyes and mouth ， Intricately perforated ， Uniquely ingenious ， Thus achieving the functional fragrance-dispensing and air-permeable holes in incense utensils.

The unique internal structure of the gilded silver turtle box provides ample space for burning incense. The turtle’s body is outwardly bulging, resembling a spherical shape. ， This helps the smoke flow quickly along the inner wall of the curve, enhancing the aroma. Therefore... ， The openwork areas and certain spaces within the gilt-silver turtle box provide the necessary conditions for it to serve as an incense burner.

There remains inside the turtle box. Traces of incense burning

First, there is a distinct yellow-brown deposit on the inner front and middle parts of the silver turtle box lid. ， Moreover, there are scabbing marks of varying degrees. Second, the inner surface of the silver turtle box’s mouth and its neck both bear dark-brown traces. Third, the interior cavity of the silver turtle box contains a residual mixture of unevenly distributed, variably sized dark-brown and black spots. Fourth, when the gilded silver turtle box was unearthed... “ There is a small amount of black residue remaining in the abdominal cavity. ( Dark brown ) Powder slag ， The same residue found inside the silver incense burner with five legs and a flower-and-turtle motif gilded in gold. ”。

The traces left on these different parts all indicate that this object was used during the Tang Dynasty as an incense burner to burn fragrant substances. ， Or it was very likely used as incense when offering the Buddha’s authentic relics—his actual physical remains—to the underground palace of Famen Temple. 。

The incense-burning experiment with the turtle box can confirm that this object is an incense burner.

Famen Temple Museum Through the Gilded Silver Turtle Box ( Copy ) The direct combustion incense experiment is used for verification. ： Using the most common tower-shaped sandalwood. ， Direct ignition . Then blow out the open flame. ， Then place it at the bottom of the turtle box to burn naturally. ， The resulting hot air current will carry the cigarette upward. ， Then put the turtle lid on. ， The flue gas naturally moves along the inner surface of the turtle’s shell toward its neck. ， Finally, thick smoke began to pour out first from the perforations on either side of the turtle’s mouth. ， After the intervals, a very small amount of smoke may subtly emerge from openings such as the nostrils at the front end of the turtle’s head; however, not all the perforations on the turtle’s head will emit smoke. ， Instead, smoke comes out from the large openings on either side of the turtle’s mouth. ， The other end never produces any smoke. This remarkable phenomenon... ， Seems simple ， Yet it demonstrates the Tang people’s masterful application of the convection of hot and cold air in physics. Because... ， The interior of the turtle’s body is hollow and connected to the hollow spaces in its neck and head, which feature openwork designs. The head itself has a bulging, outwardly protruding shape. ， Effectively increased the space. ， It promotes air circulation. Once the incense is lit, ， The resulting thermal air current rises. ， The two ends of the mouth area are lower and relatively large. ， It facilitates the rapid outflow of hot air currents. At the same time, ， Cold air descends. ， It will then enter the bottom of the turtle box through holes of various sizes, promptly replenishing the air. ， Promote the circulation of warm and cold air currents. ， Helps the spice undergo aerobic combustion without extinguishing. 。

The above simple incense-burning experiment demonstrates... ， Provided us with direct evidence confirming that this item can be used as an incense burner. ， At the same time, it revealed to us that the traces left inside the gilded silver turtle box were formed after incense was burned.

First, the residue at the bottom of the silver turtle box should be traces of a mixture of incense ash or charcoal left behind after burning incense. From Wu Jun’s poem “Difficult Journey” in the Southern Liang Dynasty. “ The fragrant charcoal in the golden brazier has turned to ash. ” This is precisely the specific description of how incense materials in the censer, after being burned by incense charcoal, turn into a powdery ash. Second, the yellow-brown deposits on the inner side of the silver turtle lid are likely the result of oils from the incense materials being carried upward to the top inner surface of the lid via hot air currents after the incense was burned. As can be seen from the inner side of the experimental turtle lid, there are also distinct yellow traces left behind by the burning of incense. Of course... ， The longer incense is burned, ， The marks above will gradually change from yellow to dark brown. Third, the dark-brown marks left on the inside of the silver turtle box’s mouth and neck are precisely where incense sticks pass through after being lit. ， It’s bound to leave a smoky mark.

Reassign the names of cultural relics ： Tang Dynasty Gilt-Silver Turtle Incense Burner

Due to a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of this thing. ， Therefore, the archaeological name is established. “ Gilded Silver Turtle Box ” It can no longer reflect the function of the object. ! box ， A container with a matching bottom cover. Judging solely from its surface structure, this object... ， Using turtle shell as a lid ， The turtle's shell serves as the box's bottom. ， There’s still room to put things inside. ， So this item was simply simplified and treated as a turtle-shaped box—without taking into account the multiple openwork features that detail the turtle’s head. ， Thus, another practical function of incense smoke—its ability to purify the air—is overlooked. So... ， Also known as “ Turtle box ” It would be inappropriate for his status. ! This item is an incense burner. ， That’s where the defining characteristics of its designation as an incense utensil come into play. Incense burner ， "Yulai yijiu" is a collective term for all kinds of vessels used to burn incense. The vast majority of incense utensils that have been passed down through the ages or unearthed from archaeological sites are also named after incense burners. ， Clear at a glance ， Easy to understand. So... ， Turtle incense burner ， It can both reflect the object’s external form and directly reveal its functional characteristics. Plus, the period it dates from. ， Texture and craftsmanship, etc. ， Becomes ： Tang Dynasty Gilt-Silver Turtle Incense Burner

The Tang Dynasty gilt-silver turtle incense burner deserves a place of honor in the history of incense utensils.

Based on current archaeological and transmitted historical materials, ， Similar turtle-shaped artifacts have also been discovered. 1990 In the year [year not specified], a Tang Dynasty gilded silver turtle box with an extended neck and head turned back was unearthed in Shanglangjian Village, Fanzhi County, Shanxi Province. The object is approximately [height not specified] tall. 30 Centimeter ， Divide into two parts: bottom and lid. ， Back-engraved gilded Bagua pattern ， Turtle's mouth facing the sky ， There’s a hole. And there’s more. ， A silver box in the shape of a turtle, part of a private French collector’s collection. Both turtle-shaped objects have hollow interiors and holes in their heads. ， Although the relevant documentation does not specify its use. ， But it also perfectly matches the characteristics of incense burners. These turtle-shaped objects belong to a type of ancient biomimetic animal incense burner. ， There are also other bionic animal incense burners. ， It can be described as extraordinarily colorful and diverse. To date, among the discoveries is a bronze goose-shaped incense burner from a Western Han dynasty wooden coffin tomb in Zhucheng County, Shandong Province. ， A Hanbaiyu lion-shaped incense burner excavated from the Cao family tomb of the Late Tang Dynasty in Xi'an. [ ( @e ， Two-tiered incense burner in celadon-white porcelain from the Jingdezhen kiln of the Northern Song Dynasty, housed at the Art Institute of Chicago. ， And there are also poems and verses by literati of past dynasties praising it, such as: ， Li Shangyin's "Promoting the Leak" “ The phoenix-mirror case holds the remnants of dark eyebrow makeup; the incense burner for sleeping crows is swapped for the evening’s fragrance. ” [21] ( P6175， He Ning’s “Harmonizing with Manzi” ： “ Yet I love the little duck scented with incense. ， I envy him for growing up behind screens and curtains. ” [22] ( e42 Waiting for Poems 。

Although these incense burners have the majestic presence of a lion-shaped incense burner, ， The fresh and adorable charm of the wild goose’s ambition and the fragrant duck’s tender affection. ， However, the Tang dynasty gilt-silver turtle incense burner unearthed from the underground palace of Famen Temple far surpasses them. ! First ， Of noble birth, it is an imperial treasure of the Tang dynasty—the Emperor Xizong of Tang. “ New gifts—gold, silver, treasures, and garments ” A total of in the underground palace of Famen Temple 754 item ， This item is recorded in the "Account of Objects" stele. ： “ One turtle weighs two gan. ” Ranked fourth in the Tang Xizong’s record of gold and silver treasures. Second. ， The mission is sacred—this treasure is offered before the Buddha. The site where this artifact was unearthed is located in the core area of the rear chamber of the underground palace. ， The true relics of the Buddha’s body and the first shadow-relic relics are enshrined here in the rear chamber, kept in secret. The third... ， One of the Four Spirits embodies a hundred-jia-longevity. Book of Rites · The "Li Yun" says: ： “ Unicorn, Phoenix, Turtle, Dragon ， They are called the Four Spirits. ” and the "Great Dai Li" · The "Zengzi Tianyuan" says: ， “ There are 360 insects of type Jia. ， And the divine turtle reigns supreme. ” Among the Four Spirits ， The turtle is revered as “ The leader of a hundred armored warriors ” It is also the only spiritual entity that truly exists in real life and has been endowed with significance across generations. “ Longevity, auspiciousness, sagehood, royal power, authority, wealth, glory, integrity ” The cultural symbolic meaning. This object is designed to resemble a turtle. ， It stems precisely from the Tang people’s reverence for the turtle, one of the Four Sacred Creatures. Fourth. ， The gold-and-silver body sculpture is truly precious. This piece is made of silver and gilded with gold. ， The texture of other bionic animal incense burners from history ， As ： Compared to copper, white marble, and porcelain, etc. ， This makes it all the more elegant, luxurious, and exceedingly precious. Therefore, whether viewed through horizontal or vertical comparisons, the Tang Dynasty gilt-silver turtle incense burner undoubtedly deserves a prominent place in history. 。