고구려 쌍영총 연구

Abstract

Ssangyeongchong is one of the latest sites among the Pyeongyang region mural tombs dated 5th century. A typical two-chamber tomb, it shows all the characteristics of tombs that can be dated early to late 5th century; it has two octagonal columns between the front chamber and main chamber, and on its walls and corners painted are columns and structure of a wooden house. Ssangyeongchong mural presents characteristic elements of early and late 5th century tomb murals in its composition and layout of the subjects and the interaction and the balance between them. The wall and the corners of the ceiling were first covered with plaster on which the mural was painted. Like in the later period mural tombs, the Blue Dragon and the White Tiger each fills the whole surface of the east and the west wall. However, at the same time, the east and north wall of main chamber each shows the procession scene and the portrait of the deceased couple, a characteristic element of the early and the middle period tomb murals. The fact that the lotus in full bloom that is often found in mid-5th century tomb murals is painted on the ceiling stone is also remarkable in choice of subject and expression. It is difficult to find an example other than Ssangyeongchong that shows an attempt to utilize all elements related to the view on afterlife that trended in the 5th century. Considering the structure of the tomb and the composition and the contents of the mural, Ssangyeongchong can be dated to the end of the 5th century. At the beginning of the new era of four powers in East Asia and after moving its capital to Pyeongyang, Koguryo attempted a reestablishment of its identity and culture that embraced the whole society. To achieve this, Koguryo actively sought international cultural exchange at micro and macro level and continued to unify its regional cultures. Ssangyeongchong murals seem to reflect the effect of such national level effort on Koguryo culture in general. The analysis of Ssangyeongchong mural suggests a possibility that the national effort of Koguryo on solving social and cultural issues of the time after mid 5th century while having some positive results had its limits. The merging and the confusion of the mural subjects, the lack of consistency and unity in the composition of the mural subjects show such limit. The composition and the content of Ssangyeongchong mural that lacks systematic thought and concepts show that the effort to unify society and culture continued to the end of the 5th century and while it did succeed in establishing a unified culture centered around Pyeongyang, it did not spread and firmly establish itself in the Koguryo society as whole.