Northeast Asian History Network

Western Wall of the Western Auxiliary Chamber - Portrait of the Deceased - Fan

The nobleman in the portrait of the deceased in the western auxiliary chamber of Anak Tomb No. 3 can be seen holding Jumi (fan made with horsehair or cloth, symbolizing high status in ancient China). Unlike typical fans, the Jumi served no utilitarian purpose but was instead used to symbolize the prestige of aristocrats. The Jumi was generally decorated with a depiction of a horned Guimyeon (demon mask). A similar Jumi featuring Guimyeon (demon mask) imagery can also be seen in the portrait of the deceased in Tokhung-ri Tomb.
The Jumi depicted in the portrait of the deceased is fundamentally different from the Jumi that appears in later Buddhist artworks portraying Vimalakīrti (Buddhist lay bodhisattva who is considered a paragon of Buddhist virtue). The Buddhist Jumi was a duster made from an elk's tail and was often carried by enlightened (Enlightenment was a Buddhist concept based on Daoist values that represented a state of leaving earthly fame and wealth behind to emphasize philosophical and spiritual freedom. This concept was prevalent from China's Wei and Jin dynasties until the Southern and Northern dynasties.) immortals and apprentices on the Buddhist path. This type of Jumi is also referred to as a Bulja (literally "Buddhist object"). The Baekbul, or white whisk, was regarded to be the zenith of Buljas.