Northeast Asian History Network

Government House official in the Depiction of the Government House on the southern wall of the antechamber 01

Government House official in the Depiction of the Government House on the southern wall of the antechamber 02

Government House official in the Depiction of the Government House on the southern wall of the antechamber 03

Government House official in the Depiction of the Government House on the southern wall of the antechamber 04

Government House official in the Depiction of the Government House on the southern wall of the antechamber 05

Government House official in the Depiction of the Government House on the southern wall of the antechamber 06

Government House official in the Depiction of the Government House on the southern wall of the antechamber 07

Government House official in the Depiction of the Government House on the southern wall of the antechamber 08

Government House official in the Depiction of the Government House on the southern wall of the antechamber 09

Government House official in the Depiction of the Government House on the southern wall of the antechamber 10

Government House official in the Depiction of the Government House on the southern wall of the antechamber 11

Government House official in the Depiction of the Government House on the southern wall of the antechamber 12

These are detailed views of the Government House officials on the southern wall of the antechamber in Tokhung-ri Tomb. Six figures can be seen, and they are classified as civil servants, military attachés, or low-ranking officials according to the type of official hat. Three civil servants are standing in the back row, and they are wearing Chaeks with tops that are split in the back and curving forward. These figures are estimated to be county prefects in Youzhou (Province of You) visiting Provincial Governor Jin for a congratulatory ceremony. The figure on the left side of the front row is a military attaché wearing a Chaek with a cone-shaped point. This person is likely to be a military attaché who works at Jin's Government House. Although not visible in the image, a low-ranking official wearing a Geon (a type of ancient headwear that wraps around the entire head and tied in the back, similar to a bandanna) and paying tribute is depicted opposite this figure. Perhaps the military attaché is receiving gifts presented to Jin. Two low-ranking officials wearing Geons can be seen next to the military attaché, and they are facing each other and seemingly writing text. They are most likely keeping ledgers for the tributes paid by the prefects.
The mural contains strong evidence of ink running above the faces of these government officials due to the moisture inside the tomb. Just as with the other murals in the tomb, this artwork was completed by first creating rough sketches in red, then applying color, and finally drawing black ink outlines to finish the images. The red lines of the sketches can be seen in the figures’ faces and hands.