Northeast Asian History Network

Northern Wall of the Main Chamber -Backrest

This is a detailed view of the backrest depicted on the northern wall of the main chamber in Susahn-ri Tomb. Although only a fraction of the backrest is visible due to severe deterioration, its exact form can be deduced due to depictions of similar backrests in portraits of the deceased from other tomb murals.
These backrests cannot be seen in early Koguryo-era tombs such as Anak Tomb No. 3 or Tokhung-ri Tomb. Instead, these tombs feature L and U-shaped folding screens, respectively. This type of inverted triangular backrest first appeared in Gamshin-chong (Shrine Tomb) and gradually replaced folding screens in portraits of the deceased. A depiction of the inverted triangular backrest was first discovered on a cave mural from China's Gansu region as a background element to a depiction of Maitreya Buddha. The origin of this object traces back to India through Buddhist art and was prominently used by nobles from the region.
The reason why this object from the Western Regions (Generally refers areas to the west of China) appeared in Koguryo tomb murals is because Maitreya Buddhism was prevalent in Koguryo society at the time. Its presence is regarded to symbolize the nobleman's religious beliefs and desire to reside in Tusita Heaven along with Maitreya Buddha. The house represents a celestial palace, and the portrayal of the nobleman on the inverted triangular backrest signifies that he has already reached Tusita Heaven where Maitreya Buddha resides in the cave murals. The presence of this backrest in Koguryo-era tomb murals is indicative of the close cultural exchanges between Koguryo and the Western Regions (Generally refers areas to the west of China).