# Mountain-Shaped Incense Burner

- By: China, probably Guangdong or Guangxi province
- Date: Western Han dynasty, 206 BCE–9 CE
- Medium: Brick-red earthenware with green lead glaze
- Classification: Religious/Ritual Object
- Dimensions: 22.6 × 17.5 cm (8 7/8 × 6 7/8 in.); Diam.: 17.5 cm (6 7/8 in.)
- Culture: China
- Credit line: Lucy Maud Buckingham Collection
- Museum: [Art Institute of Chicago](https://www.artic.edu/artworks/12069)
- Rights: [Public domain (CC0)](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- Picture: https://www.artic.edu/iiif/2/21207a03-61ca-0872-b51d-5f80d8772cbb/full/!1822,1080/0/default.jpg
- Who can see it: Tweens profiles and older (museums give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the museum's own words)

Often referred to as “boshan lu,” or hill censer, this incense burner features a conical cover shaped like miniaturized peaks, evoking the mountainous isles where the immortals reside. When incense is burnt in the step cup, fragrant smoke emanates from the openwork on the cover, animating the sacred mountains and transporting the beholder into a realm of transcendence. Covered with a green lead glaze, this pottery incense burner mimics similar objects that are commonly made in bronze. The clay material suggests that the object might have been specifically made for a funerary context.

Description © Art Institute of Chicago, CC BY 4.0