Northeast Asian History Network

Eastern Wall of the Eastern Auxiliary Chamber - Kitchen - Figures 2

This is a detailed view of the maid handling a pile of bowls in the mural depicted on the eastern wall of the eastern auxiliary chamber. Her hairstyle and attire are identical to the maid working by the steamer. (See “Eastern Wall of the Eastern Auxiliary Chamber - Kitchen - Figures 1”) This woman is bent at the waist tending to the pile of lacquered bowls on a small table. The Anak region of Hwanghae Province, in which Anak Tomb No. 3 was discovered, was part of the Lelang Commandery until the early 4th century when it was finally annexed into Koguryo during the King Micheon period in 313 CE. Therefore, numerous lacquered relics that were prevalent during the Han dynasty have been discovered in the tombs from this region. The table's bowed legs are interconnected and curl inward, making them of particular interest. The maid's feet and the legs of the table are spatially on two different planes, creating an effect as if she was lifting the table up off the ground. The painter who was in charge of the kitchen scene is surmised to have been of a vastly different skill level than the painter(s) who painted the portraits of the deceased. This type of table was common during the Han dynasty and appeared frequently in tomb murals until China's Southern and Northern dynasties. This images are valuable resources for assessing the close cultural exchange that occurred between ancient Korea and China.