Juche

    Susanri Mural Tomb in Susan-ri, Kangso District, Nampho City, the DPRK is the Koguryo mural tomb in the latter half of the 5^th century. There are murals depicting the people in the tomb. A couple leading luxurious life in a magnificent room with a beautiful curtain while being waited upon by male and female attendants, procession of a hero on a wagon with a band at the head, the couple attended by male and female assistants enjoying acrobatics and the like are on the murals of the tomb.

    Interesting in the mural is a scene of acrobatics drawn on the western wall. 3 acrobats are in casual attire with the paji and jogori(Korean jackets and trousers) and with leggings on. An acrobat shows foot tricks on a stilt and the other two display arts of their hands while throwing wheels, rings and sticks up to the sky. The mural vividly proves that acrobatics developed in Koguryo since long ago and the Koguryo people had optimistic character.

    Another feature of the mural tomb is that the murals are delicate and elegant, beautiful and vivid.

    With soft lines, as thin as a silk thread, and beautiful coloring, the painter skillfully depicted neat lineament, refined dressing and pretty faces of women wearing long jogori(Korean jackets) with belts tied and pleated skirts and rainbow-striped pleated skirts as well as eyebrows like half-moon, gentle expression of eyes and red lips of a smiling heroine.

    Takamaz Tomb, the mural tomb unearthed in Japan for the first time in 1972, has much commonness with the Susanri Mural Tomb. They are common in the overall arrangement and contents of the murals and drawing skills including the women wearing long jogori(Korean jackets) and rainbow-striped chima(skirts). The Susanri Mural Tomb is of significance not only in studying the Koguryo culture and manners but proving the influence of Koguryo culture upon the Japanese culture.