Renowned for its iridescent beauty and unparalleled craftsmanship, Najeon Chilgi turned ordinary shells into extraordinary masterpieces.
A seemingly worthless plain abalone shell covered with calcium carbonate is turned into a precious work of art displaying an amazing wealth of colors that have been hidden within it. Behind this incredible metamorphosis lies the creativity and talent of a craftsman. Mother of pearl emits such wonderful colors because the inner lining of the abalone shell, which it is made, consists of transparent crystals of calcium carbonate. These crystals produce iridescent colors when light shines on them, like a prism. When the craftsman captures these numerous colors in small, delicate pieces, they are transformed into beautiful flowers and birds, becoming precious gems lasting thousands of years.
<Lacquered Rosary Case Inlaid with Mother of pearl and Tortoise-Shell Chrysanthemums and Arabesques
Goryeo, 12th Century
This round case, complete with a cover, is believed to have been a Buddhist rosary case because a rosary was discovered in it. The lavishly embellished surface inlaid with a combination of mother of pearl, colored tortoise shell and metal wire is rare, and displays the aesthetic achievement of Goryeo’s Najeon Chilgi. The elegant red and yellow tortoise shell pieces and iridescent mother of pearl strips create harmonious, exquisite patterns unlike no other.>
In East Asia, the technique of decorating objects with mother of pearl began during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) in China. In Korea, it evolved into a unique art form called Najeon Chilgi around the arrival of the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392). Because the Goryeo artisans produced such splendid works of art, Najeon Chilgi soon became one of the dynasty’s major artistic contributions along with celadon ceramic ware and metal works. The most common and highly developed method of decorating the art works was to inlay the mother of pearl designs onto the pieces then glaze them with lacquer. Favorite mother of pearl designs included flowers, particularly chrysanthemums and peonies, and exotic plants, such as the arabesque “Tang Plant” pattern. Some craftsmen completely covered a piece with intricate designs as a sign of status and wealth, an important quality to Goryeo society.
The exquisiteness and splendor of Goryeo’s Najeon Chilgi was highly praised by an envoy from China called Seo Geung from the Sung Dynasty (960-1279). In his writing, “An Illustrated Book of Goryeo” ("Goryeo Dogyeong"), he said that Goryeo’s Najeon Chilgi was: “…valuable enough because it is extremely exquisite and elaborate.” Other accounts say that a Najeon Chilgi brush case from the Goryeo period was one of the most coveted items among the Sung literati in China.
<Lacquered Tri-Leaf Container Inlaid with Mother of pearl and Tortoise-Shell
Chrysanthemums and Arabesques
Goryeo, 12th Century
This exquisite mother of pearl inlay work is believed to have been a cosmetics container used by a noble lady during the Goryeo period. The heavily embellished surface, as well as the elaborate shape of the container, is a glimpse into the lavish lifestyle of Goryeo’s ruling class. It is widely regarded as one of the best examples of Najeon Chilgi made when the art was at its peak.>
Art historians today believe that what made Chinese writers, such as Seo Geung, buy Najeon Chilgi art was not only the ingenuity of the Korean artisans to retrieve the iridescent color from the abalone shell but also their unique inlaying techniques to create such glorious designs. Inlaying such extraordinarily splendid and detailed mother of pearl motifs into the surface of hard wood, such as red sandalwood, was only achieved by the Korean craftsmen of the time. The Goryeo artisans had eagerly met the challenges the new techniques generated head on and through their diligence and creativity were able to find methods to solve those dilemmas. By then, the Goryeo period already boasted a long tradition of advanced lacquer ware craft.
The reputation and artistic supremacy of Goryeo Najeon Chilgi art is indebted largely to three techniques that the artisans of the time invented. The first of these techniques is to use tiny mother of pearl pieces called ‘threads’ for inlaying patterns. Unlike other craftsmen, Goryeo artisans decided to use tiny mother-of pearl strips rather than large pieces, then inlaid them one-by-one to form the entire design, whether it was a flower or a geometric shape. In fact, when the envoy, Seo Geung, praised the Najeon Chilgi art of Goryeo he made reference to this ingenious method of making designs never seen before in China.
<Mother-of-Pearl Lacquer Sutra Box
This exquisite mother-of-pearl lacquer sutra box was used to store Buddhist scriptures and is believed to date from the late Goryeo Dynasty (918–1392), around the 13th century.
It was designed to hold Buddhist scriptures, including the Tripitaka (Daejanggyeong), in scroll form. Although such boxes were likely produced in considerable numbers during the Goryeo period, fewer than twenty Goryeo mother-of-pearl lacquer masterpieces are known to survive worldwide today, and sutra boxes are among the rarest examples.
The box is rectangular in shape, with chamfered corners on the lid. Its wooden core was constructed from approximately 1-centimeter-thick straight-grained softwood boards joined together with iron nails. To prevent the wood from warping or cracking, the surface was first covered with cloth and then coated repeatedly with layers of lacquer mixed with bone ash (golhoe), followed by several applications of black lacquer to create a durable and refined finish.
The decorative surface is inlaid with finely cut pieces of mother-of-pearl forming elegant peony arabesque motifs. These flowing designs create a rhythmic sense of harmony, while the decorative bands are divided into richly varied ornamental patterns that enhance the overall brilliance of the work.
As the only surviving mother-of-pearl lacquer sutra box in Korea, this masterpiece represents the highest level of late Goryeo mother-of-pearl craftsmanship. It is widely recognized for its exceptional historical, artistic, and technical significance, offering invaluable insight into the remarkable achievements of Korean lacquer artisans during the Goryeo Dynasty.>
The second of Najeon Chilgi’s distinctive features was the combined use of wires, silver, bronze and brass with the mother of pearl patterns. The wires, largely divided into single and twisted lines, were inlaid to form a boundary between two different patterns or part of a figure, for example, a flower stem or a vein of a leaf. Such use of wires in combination with mother of pearl significantly increased the means of artistic expression for Goryeo artisans.
The third element that distinguished Goryeo’s Najeon Chilgi from the mother of pearl craft in other parts of Asia was the use of colorful tortoise shell pieces. Goryeo craftsmen found they could inlay treated tortoise shell, which was just as valuable as mother of pearl. A Buddhist rosary case surviving from that era demonstrates how Najeon Chilgi artisans of Goryeo used mother of pearl along with tortoise shell to make a magnificent work of art.
<Mother-of-Pearl Lacquer Comb Box with Clouds, Phoenixes, Flowers, and Birds
A comb box was used to store various grooming implements, including combs and hair ornaments. This magnificent example is lavishly decorated with mother-of-pearl inlay across its entire surface. The front is divided into three sections, with two lower drawers and a hinged lid that opens from the top.
The top of the lid is adorned with two phoenixes holding the herb of immortality (Bullocho) within a floral medallion, while the border is decorated with elegant half-flower motifs. The front panels are embellished with chrysanthemum and peony designs, while the sides feature plum blossoms and bamboo accompanied by a pair of birds, as well as pine trees with another pair of birds. The reverse is decorated with aquatic plants and a pair of birds.
The large decorative motifs were created using Tabalbeop, a traditional technique in which naturally curved pieces of mother-of-pearl are cut to shape and gently hammered onto the lacquered surface. The resulting fine cracks become part of the design itself, adding depth and texture to the composition. The motifs are rendered in a bold, realistic style, while generous open spaces are intentionally left in the background. These characteristics exemplify the distinctive aesthetic of mid-Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910) mother-of-pearl lacquerware.
This work represents a significant stylistic departure from the small, densely arranged floral patterns of the Goryeo Dynasty (918–1392), illustrating the evolution of Korean mother-of-pearl lacquer art toward larger motifs, greater visual balance, and a more refined sense of spatial composition.>
There are only approximately 15 mother of pearl inlay works of art from the Goryeo Dynasty surviving today, and many of the pieces, including a sutra box, rosary case and incense container, are related to Buddhism. While the number of remaining pieces is quite small, they are all considered masterpieces and have been collected by museums around the world. Several Najeon Chilgi art works, including the ‘Lacquered Incense Case Inlaid with Mother of pearl Willows and Ducks,’ are housed in the National Museum of Korea. Meanwhile, various containers are part of the collections of the Dokugawa Art Museum, Daimasa Temple and Keishunin in Japan, while some of the remaining sutra chests are displayed in renowned museums in the U.S.A., Britain, Germany and the Netherlands.
Najeon Chilgi art changed in design when the Goryeo Dynasty was overthrown by a group of Confucian scholars and the Joseon Dynasty was born. The opulent decorations preferred by Goryeo aristocratic families were now replaced by much simpler and more natural designs that reflected the austere lifestyle recommended by Confucian teachings. The use of colorful tortoise shells and wires of precious metals disappeared while new artistic motifs, such as maehwa blossoms and bamboo, flowers and birds, were introduced. The focus was then placed on capturing simple scenes from nature rather than making elaborate designs using abstract patterns. The new trend persuaded Joseon artisans to try different decorations, such as various symbolic animals and plants, human figures, and auspicious Chinese characters. The 10 Creatures of Longevity ( 'Sipjangsaeng' ) and the Four Noble Beings ( 'Sagunja' ) were among their favorite subjects. As the artisans began to seek diverse elements, their designs became wild, humorous, and even coarse in the late Joseon period. The dynamism and rhythmic beauty of the motifs distinguished the Joseon Najeon Chilgi from other mother of pearl art forms in China and Japan during the same time.
<Mother-of-Pearl Lacquer Box with Lotus, Peony, and Arabesque Design
This lidded mother-of-pearl lacquer box was traditionally used to store official robes and fine garments. The exterior of the lid and the sides of the box are richly decorated with an elegant lotus arabesque pattern.
The lotus motif combines fully bloomed flowers with delicate buds, creating a graceful composition that appears to flow freely while maintaining a carefully balanced and harmonious rhythm. To create the curved lotus petals and leaves, artisans employed a technique known as Tabalbeop, in which naturally curved pieces of mother-of-pearl were cut into shape and gently hammered onto the lacquered surface. The fine cracks formed during this process became an integral part of the design, adding another layer of texture and visual beauty.
The vines were created using the traditional kkeuneumjil technique, in which slender strips of mother-of-pearl are cut into narrow pieces and meticulously joined together to form flowing stems.
Unlike the small, densely arranged floral patterns characteristic of the Goryeo Dynasty (918–1392), this work features larger decorative motifs and wider areas of open space, demonstrating a new aesthetic approach that emerged during the early Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910). It is regarded as one of the representative masterpieces of early Joseon mother-of-pearl lacquerware, illustrating the evolution of decorative design and artistic expression.>
Najeon Chilgi art was detrimentally affected by the rapid modernization during the first half of the 20th century. It survived, however, and when Korea’s economy was stimulated in the 1960s and 1970s, the art also enjoyed a revival. New tools, methods and materials were introduced as demands for mother of pearl gifts grew, and artisans actively sought after new designs. Today, Korean Najeon Chilgi artists are creating the third wave through which they can contribute to the wonderful artistic heritage from their ancestors. The evolution of the art, from elaborate Goryeo motifs to the accented elegance of the Joseon designs, is now beginning a new era.
* Photos courtesy of National Museum of Korea.