Northeast Asian History Network

Eastern Wall of the Main Chamber - Music and Dance - Western Chinese Dancer

This is a detailed view of the dancer from the Western Regions (Generally refers to areas to the west of China) on the eastern wall of the main chamber in Anak Tomb No. 3. Notably, the skin tone of this figure is rather dark, perhaps in an effort to convey his Western Regions’ origin. The curly hair and large nose were considered to be distinctive characteristics of Western Regions people at that time. The figure is depicted to be clapping and dancing with his feet crossed. This type of cross-legged dancing is known as Hoseonmu. The dancer is wearing a Jeogori (traditional Korean upper garment) and trousers tapered at the ankles. Faint traces of wrinkles rendered in red ink can be seen at the hemline of the trousers. According to historical records, the spread of worldly merchants known as Sogdians (Merchant people based out of Samarkand in Central Asia who brokered East-West trading through the Silk Road. Sogdians established communal residence in China from the Han Dynasty and played a key role in disseminating Western Regional culture, material civilization, and religion from Western Regions to the Liaodong Peninsula. This mural is considered to be invaluable evidence of the Sogdians' roles as intermediaries who bridged Eastern and Western cultures on the Korean Peninsula.