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The Study on the Meaning of Koguryo Dance Depicted in Muyongchong Mural Painting

&nbsp;&nbsp;In the period of Koguryo (B.C 37-A.D 668), people were highly fond of artistic activities such as painting, music and dance. They handed down various dance scenes by drawing them in ancient tomb murals. These are valuable as physical evidence representing the earliest manifestation of the dance movements of the ancient Korean. However, there have been lack of previous systematic analysis and interpretation of those murals from the perspective of dance. Therefore, this study signifies by means of establishing the semantic approach in order to examine Muyoungchong mural depiction of Koguryo dance and identifying the external forms and symbolic meaning in it.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;Results of the study are as follows.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;First, the dance of Muyoungchong mural painting is ‘sleeve dance’. Movement of the upper body is observed as sleeve motion similar to the movement of a bird moving its wings, and that of the lower body is observed as earth-directed steps using tiptoes and knees reactions.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;Second, the animals appearing in dance scene of Muyoungchong mural painting symbolize the indigenous faith of shamanism connecting the earth and heaven and guiding the human spirit to life after death.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;Third, Koguryo dance of Muyoungchong mural painting is recognized as a sacred spiritual performance. It was performed for funeral ceremony, and it is interpreted that the dance represents wish of everlasting life after death.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;In conclusion, Koguryo dance of Muyoungchong mural painting shows what people of Koguryo think about dance and why they love to enjoy it. In this manner, it is very precious cultural heritage worth studying on a point of view of dance. It symbolized unification, harmony, and integration of body and mind, birth and death, heaven and earth, as well as human and nature. Hence, Koguryo dance expressed philosophical values harmonized with the community-oriented and nature-friendly thoughts of the Koguryo people.