- Koguryo and Balhae
- Tokhung-ri Tomb
Koguryo and Balhae
| Title | Byeokdok | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Byeokdok on the ceiling of the antechamber (northern wall)
This is a detailed view of Bakui on the ceiling of the antechamber (northern wall) in Tokhung-ri Tomb. Eighteen auspicious animals are depicted on the ceiling of the antechamber in Tokhung-ri Tomb. The Heavenly Horse, Jichuk, Cheonjak, Byeokdok, Bakui, Hajo, Yeongyang, Huewon, and an unidentified auspicious animal appear on the northern wall.
The Byeokdok (literally ‘avert poison’) in the image is severely deteriorated. The remaining portion is estimated to be its legs. As Byeokdok's name means ‘avert poison,’ the animal is understood to be able to exorcize evil spirits.