국립중앙박물관 NATIONAL MUSEUM OF KOREA

Gangseodaemyo Tomb

Gangseodaemyo Tomb, located in South Pyeongan Province, North Korea, is famous for its huge wall painting of the Four Guardians, which is considered to be the finest extant example of a Goguryeo tomb mural. The tomb itself consists of a single burial chamber with a corridor. The chamber is decorated with an elaborate mural depicting the four divine creatures that act as guardians of the four cardinal directions: the Blue Dragon, guardian of the east; the White Tiger, guardian of the west; the Red Phoenix, guardian of the south; and the Black Tortoise and Serpent, guardian of the north. The creatures are dynamically expressed on both the walls and ceiling, looking as if they are about to burst into life. Based on the architectural layout, consisting of a single burial chamber, and the general composition of the mural, Gangseodaemyo Tomb can be dated to the late sixth century. The murals displayed here are replicas that were made during the Japanese colonial period.