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Archaistic Bronze Lotus Pagoda Form Censer
Archaistic Bronze Lotus Pagoda Form Censer Original price was: $89.00.Current price is: $69.00.piece

Original price was: $119.00.Current price is: $99.00.piece

Han-Style Bronze Boshan Censer Featuring Three Dragon Holders, Carved Bamboo Stem and Beast Motif Relief Base

Specifications & Dimensions [H: Height, D: Diameter]:

H: 23cm, D: 6cm

Net Weight: Approx. 0.44KG

Material: Antiqued bronze

Every censer bought here includes free fireproof cotton or exclusive incense holders.

Handcrafted by skilled artisans, each piece may have minor variations in color tone and dimensions, which are inherent and to be expected.

We sincerely welcome you to contact us for further negotiation on OEM, ODM, distributions, online influencer sales promotion, bulk export orders and all related matters.

Please do not hesitate and contact us right away: support@cralec.com

P.S: All prices on our store already include taxes, VAT and customs duties. Unlike other stores, you won’t pay any extra fees!

Ordered:0
Items available:50

50 in stock (can be backordered)

The term Boshanlu (博山炉) literally translates to “Censer of Universal Sacred Mountains”. The nomenclature derives from the immortal mountain mythology prevailing in the Qin and Han dynasties. In ancient Chinese folklore, the vast East China Sea was home to three divine mountains — Penglai, Fangzhang, and Yingzhou — collectively referred to as Bo Shan (博山), the sacred abodes of immortals. These mythical mountains were described as mist-shrouded, layered with exotic peaks, and inhabited by celestial beings and rare auspicious creatures, symbolizing eternity and transcendence in traditional Chinese culture.
The unique design of the Boshanlu perfectly interprets this mythological conception. Its cover is intricately carved into overlapping, undulating mountain ridges with hollowed apertures. When incense is lit, wispy smoke drifts out from the crevices of the mountain carvings, simulating the swirling mist and ethereal clouds surrounding the celestial mountains. The ingenious integration of shape, function, and artistic conception allows mortals to visualize the immortal realm, which constitutes the fundamental reason for its naming and enduring artistic charm.
Archaeological findings prove that the embryonic form of mountain-shaped incense burners emerged in the late Warring States Period, with simple mountain pattern carving and immature craftsmanship, lacking standardized Boshanlu styling. Primitive prototypes sporadically appeared in the Qin Dynasty but failed to gain popularity due to short dynastic reign and underdeveloped incense culture.
The standardized and mature Boshanlu officially took shape in the early Western Han Dynasty (Wen-Jing Period). Its full prosperity and widespread prevalence were closely tied to Emperor Wu of Han. Devoutly obsessed with immortality and Taoist alchemy, Emperor Wu vigorously advocated immortal mountain-themed rituals and artifacts, elevating the Boshanlu from a daily aromatic tool to a ceremonial vessel for communicating with deities and praying for longevity. Since then, Boshanlu became prevalent in imperial palaces and aristocratic mansions, opening its golden age.
The mid-Western Han to Eastern Han Dynasties marked thepeak heyday of Boshanlu. During this period, the craftsmanship of Boshanlu reached an unprecedented height. High-grade aristocratic wares adopted elaborate techniques including gold inlay, silver inlay, gilding, and fine relief carving, decorated with patterns of hunting scenes, exotic beasts, clouds and waves, presenting magnificent and exquisite aesthetic characteristics. The iconic gold-inlaid bronze Boshanlu from the Mancheng Han Tomb represents the supreme craftsmanship of this artifact category.
Socially, Boshanlu broke the exclusive monopoly of the royal family and nobles. While high-class bronze wares prevailed in upper-class society, pottery imitations emerged for common folk burial and daily use, achieving nationwide popularity across northern and southern regions. Functionally, it integrated aroma purification, ritual worship, aesthetic appreciation, and spiritual sustenance, becoming the most representative cultural artifact of the Han Dynasty’s immortal cosmology.
After the Eastern Han Dynasty, the Boshanlu gradually faded from mainstream craftsmanship and daily life, undergoing a complete decline through the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, for three core reasons.
First, the collapse of Han orthodox ideology led to the waning of immortal mountain worship. The rise of Wei-Jin metaphysics shifted social aesthetic and spiritual pursuit from Han-style grand immortal mythology to individual spiritual freedom and elegant seclusion, making the traditional Boshanlu’s mythological connotation lose mainstream cultural support.
Second, the prevalence of Buddhism brought new incense vessel aesthetics. Lotus-shaped censers and Buddhist ritual incense wares became mainstream, replacing the mountain-shaped Boshanlu that symbolized Taoist immortality. The functional and aesthetic substitution accelerated its marginalization.
Third, changes in incense culture and craft trends. The popularization of bulk incense and joss sticks altered traditional smoldering incense methods, while craft aesthetics turned from grand and intricate ritual styling to simple and elegant daily furnishings. The complex hollow mountain structure of Boshanlu gradually lost practical and aesthetic advantages.
In the Sui and Tang dynasties, Boshanlu only existed as occasional antique imitations, no longer popular in society. After the Song Dynasty, it completely withdrew from daily use and ritual systems, becoming a classic ancient artifact preserved only in archaeology, collections and literary records.
Though faded in history, the Boshanlu remains an irreplaceable treasure in Chinese ritual art history. It is the only artifact that perfectly integrates Han Dynasty mythology, cosmology, craftsmanship and daily life, witnessing the peak of ancient Chinese bronze art and aromatic culture. In modern auction and collection circles, well-preserved official and aristocratic Boshanlu wares are highly sought-after, boasting supreme historical, artistic and aesthetic research value.

Delivery time = Processing time + Shipping time (weekends, holidays, customs delays, wars, natural disasters, force majeureevents and any other unforeseen circumstances are not included)

Processing time: Typicaly takes 1-3 business days. Once the package is shipped, CRALEC support team will send you an email with detailed shipping information and a tracking number.

Shipping time: Typically takes 5-10 business days (by courier DHL/FedEx/UPS/USPS/SF.Express/ EMS etc.)

Standard delivery time: Typically takes 7-20 business days, but it varies by country and region.

United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and European countries- typically takes 7-15 business days.

Other countries and regions- typically takes 7-20 business days.

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