환문총 벽화에 그려진 동심원문의 상징과 그 의의

The Meaning of Concentric Designs in Hwanmunchong Murals

Decorative patterns, and especially lotus patterns, are themes uniquely associated with tomb murals of Goguryeo, that are rarely, if ever, encountered in other ancient tomb murals of China or Japan. Decorative patterns, not as spectacular as paintings depicting scenes of daily life or deities, have also received far less attention, in spite of the fact that they are one of the original aspects that set Goguryeo tomb murals apart from others. During the 5th century, decorative patterns were a popular mural theme, even if not nearly as popular as daily scenes, as evidenced by their use in the royal tomb attributed to King Dongmyeong. Of all decorative patterns found in Goguryeo tomb murals, those in Hwanmunchong are perhaps the most intriguing, for the following three reasons: first, these concentric designs represent lotus blossoms. Second, these patterns appear to have been placed on walls after erasing the murals that were originally present, containing scenes of everyday life. Third, lotus blossoms in concentric designs remain incomplete, only half-way executed. In this paper, I argue that the lotus blossoms in the concentric designs of Hwanmunchong are composite symbols, an amalgam between a Buddhist symbol and symbols of celestial bodies, and that they are embodiments of early visions of the lotus in Korean imagination. The concentric patterns covering the inner walls of Hwanmunchong are clearly meant to represent lotus blossoms. The symbolism of the lotus blossom in the Goguryeo Period was much more complex than in subsequent periods, when this flower is unambiguously linked with Buddhism. Having begotten a vast array of traditions, the lotus blossom is a very ancient motif, venerated not just in Buddhism, but also in several other religions. This is precisely in cause for some of the confusions in the interpretation of lotus designs appearing in the art of ancient Korea. To accurately determine the symbolic meaning of the lotus motif, one needs to turn to the surrounding historical context and comprehensively examine its relationship to other motifs. The fact that the lotus motifs in Hwanmunchong’s murals are not straightforward representations of blossoms makes uncovering the exact nature of their symbolism an even more challenging task. The appearance of lotus blossoms, seemingly executed half-way, most probably owes to the artist’s intention to achieve a balance between the symbolism of the concentric designs and that of lotus motifs. In other words, the artist wanted to combine a representation of heavenly bodies like the sun and the moon with the lotus, which would be an expression of hope for rebirth and metamorphosis, according to a Buddhist world view. This is an eloquent proof that lotus motifs in Goguryeo murals were not vehicles of the unique meaning it had in subsequent periods in Korean history. In Buddhist symbolism, this flower, often growing in marsh lands, is compared to truth blossoming amidst the mundane world. Meanwhile, lotus blossoms in ancient artworks, such as tomb murals from the Goguryeo period, are symbols of a dual origin; inherited from Taoist beliefs predating the arrival of Buddhism, on the one hand, and, on the other, as redefined by Buddhism. Hence, the concentric lotus motifs found in the murals of Hwanmunchong may be regarded as an early prototype of a new decorative pattern for murals, emerging after the introduction of Buddhism in Goguryeo. A return of decorative patterns at a time where scenes of everyday life prevailed in mural paintings cannot be simply explained as a shift in aesthetic sensibility, but indicates a new perspective on life after death. What motivated the action of erasing the original murals, depicting life, replacing them with decorative patterns must have been something as compelling as a hope for a rebirth in the Buddhist paradise. In other words, life after death mattered infinitely more than life on earth. The new popularity of decorative patt