When viewed from above, these ventilation holes form a double pentagon pattern, with the holes of the inner and outer pentagons in alignment. In addition to those two holes, there are ten more holes in the lid, arranged behind the overlapping mountains. In addition to connecting the phoenix to the lid and reinforcing the attachment of the mountain decorations, the hollow rod also helped to ventilate the incense smoke through two small holes in the phoenix’s chest. As confirmed by X-ray analysis, the phoenix at the top is connected to the lid via a hollow rod that extends up from the lid, running through the jewel-shaped knob and into the body of the phoenix. The incense burner has two halves: the upper half (i.e., the hemispheric lid) and the lower half, (i.e., the bowl and pedestal). The X-ray analysis confirms that the incense burner was cast according to a precisely detailed plan. X-ray cross-section of the incense burner. The base of the pedestal is formed by the coiled body of the dragon, along with openwork cloud and lotus flower designs that convey the illusion that the dragon is passing through waves on its way to the heavens. A hollow rod that emerges from the dragon’s mouth connects the pedestal to the bowl of the incense burner. The dragon has a bifurcated horn that extends from the top of its nose to the back of its neck, and a mouthful of sharp teeth that are expressed in detail. The pedestal of the incense burner is shaped like a dragon with a cloud-shaped openwork mane, dynamically crouched as if preparing to leap into flight. In total, the bowl is decorated with two human figures (i.e., a musician playing a drum and someone riding an animal) and twenty-four animals, including a pair of intertwined birds in between lotus petals on the top layer. Each petal is decorated with a relief carving of a fish, a heavenly bird, or a heavenly animal, while smaller animals or people are also interspersed between the petals of the top row. Each petal is convexly folded at the tip and decorated with a densely incised design of slanted lines, while incised lines are used in the bottom row to imply multiple layers of petals. The sizes of the lotus petals are proportionate to the diameter of the bowl, so that the petals in the top row are the widest and those in the bottom row are the most narrow. The bowl of the incense burner is made to resemble three rows of lotus petals with protruding tips. The lower rim of the lid and the upper rim of the body are each decorated with a band containing an elaborate arabesque pattern, so that the two bands are symmetrically joined when the lid is in place.
![buddha lotus position with small dragon landscape buddha lotus position with small dragon landscape](https://i.pinimg.com/474x/8e/34/9d/8e349da90cc195fcb2f37d597cfdbe15--hindu-deities-yoga.jpg)
Moreover, sixteen different people can be found doing various activities, such as strolling around the mountains, hunting on horseback, meditating, and fishing. The mountains are also occupied by a menagerie of animals, including a tiger, boar, deer, elephant, and monkey, along with various imaginary creatures. Various animals and exotic birds are dramatically depicted in relief amongst the peaks and valleys, along with a waterside landscape with a gently flowing stream, six trees, twelve rocks, and a waterfall. Also featured on the lid are twenty-four mountain peaks, each of which features a band densely filled with lines that represent trees, thus conveying the impression of thickly forested mountains. The musicians are arranged among five mountain peaks, each of which is topped by a bird looking up at the phoenix. The musicians are realistically depicted in various poses, and each plays a different traditional instrument: geum, wanhap, donggo, jongjeok, and so.
![buddha lotus position with small dragon landscape buddha lotus position with small dragon landscape](https://s.yimg.com/aah/yhst-38483213383664/yoga-oil-warmer-36.png)
For example, just below the phoenix are five musicians clad in robes with the tops of their heads shaved and their hair tied to the right. Amongst the mountains are various people, animals (both real and imaginary), and landscapes that symbolize the Taoist sages. Boshan, which actually encompasses three sacred mountains-蓬萊山 (Penglaishan), 方丈山 (Fangzhangshan), and 瀛洲山 (Yingzhoushan)-was believed to be located in the sea to the east of China.
![buddha lotus position with small dragon landscape buddha lotus position with small dragon landscape](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/df/3e/6e/df3e6e754db07cbb7c65f860ff5de479.jpg)
The mountains are intended to represent Boshan, a mythical peak where Taoist immortals dwell for eternity.
![buddha lotus position with small dragon landscape buddha lotus position with small dragon landscape](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/iFQAAOSwbF1aHsxY/s-l640.jpg)
The lid of the incense burner is shaped like ascending levels of mountains, topped by a phoenix that stands on a jewel-shaped knob with its wings spread wide. Baekje Gilt-bronze Incense Burner, Baekje (6th-7th century), Height: 61.8 cm, National Treasure 287