- Koguryo and Balhae
- Tokhung-ri Tomb
Koguryo and Balhae
| Title | Cheongyang | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Cheongyang on the ceiling of the antechamber (eastern wall)
This is a detailed view of Cheongyang on the ceiling of the antechamber (eastern wall) in Tokhung-ri Tomb. Eighteen auspicious animals are depicted on the ceiling of the antechamber in Tokhung-ri Tomb. The Flying Fish, Cheongyang, Yang-guang, and an unidentified auspicious animal appear on the eastern wall.
The Cheongyang is an auspicious bird with two heads. According to ancient literature, the Cheongyang symbolizes the spring season as well as the eastern cardinal point. Naturally, the Cheongyang is depicted in the eastern direction in Tokhung-ri Tomb. Its iconography is similar to the Biikjo (Chinese: Biyi Niao; a pair of mythological birds each with one eye and one wing always flying together, symbolizing a devoted couple) from Shanhaijing or the Classics of Mountains and Seas. The Cheongyang in the image is a two-headed bird that matches the descriptions in literary records.