- Koguryo and Balhae
- Tokhung-ri Tomb
Koguryo and Balhae
| Title | Celestial Objects on the Ceiling of the Antechamber | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Celestial objects on the ceiling of the antechamber (southern wall) 01
Celestial objects on the ceiling of the antechamber (southern wall) 02
Celestial objects on the ceiling of the antechamber (southern wall) 03
The ceiling of the antechamber (southern wall) in Tokhung-ri Tomb features a variety of celestial objects including Scorpius, the Milk Dipper (of Sagittarius), Mars, Canopus, Altair, Vega, and the Milky Way.
Milk Dipper forms a balance with the Big Dipper, and according to ancient literature, "Milk Dipper oversees life, and Big Dipper oversees death."
As the celestial objects had unique significance as well as religious connotations for the people of Koguryo, tomb murals of the era depicted a multitude of celestial objects. Koguryo records of celestial objects include those not seen in Chinese records, which is an indication of Koguryo's unique astronomical knowledge and perception.