Abstract

The main content of the mural painting of Anak Tomb No. 3, a tomb which belongs to the emergent stage of Goguryeo mural tombs, is the life of the tomb owner in his life. It is the same with the mural tombs of China from the Eastern-Han Dynasty. Anak Tomb No. 3 is quite similar to the mural tombs of central China and Liaoyang in terms of the structure of the tomb, as well as the composition and content of the mural painting. Various prestige goods such as a type of cart (通幰車), drapes and a tent (帷帳), a folding screen and flat bench (屛榻), a type of pole (節), a type of folding fan (麈尾扇) depicted on the mural painting of Anak Tomb No.3 represent the official rank, written in black ink on the mural painting of this tomb’s owner, and these contents are the same as those of the mural tombs of central China which are of the same level. This presence of objects originating from central China found on the mural painting of Anak Tomb No.3 and Deokheungri tomb indicates that the Daedong River Estuary basin (which includes the Pyongyang area) maintained a different social and cultural aspect from the Jian area, until the Goguryeo capital was relocated from Jian to Pyongyang in 427. There is a view that Dong Su was not the owner of the tomb, but a gate guard (門吏) written as “Jang Ha Dok” (帳下督) on the wall of the entrance of the western chamber. “Jang Ha Dok” is a subordinate official belonging to the first to third rank of the Wei-Jin Period. According to an ink handwriting record, Dong Su’s rank corresponds to the second to third official rank of the Wei-Jin Period. Therefore, Dong Su cannot be regarded as “Jang Ha Dok”. A type of pole called “jul” (節) on the mural painting reflects the office of “Sa Ji Jul” (使持節) written in black ink. In addition, the oxcart with the tomb owner is a type of cart called Tong Hun Gu (通幰車), which the second to third official rank rode. Therefore, it is most reasonable to regard the owner of Anak Tomb No. 3 as Dong Su, as is written in black ink.

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