Study about Gategardiner during Tombs Mural of Koguryo

A study of Koguryo tomb murals reveals that gatekeeper figures were consistently depicted, suggesting their significance as boundary markers between the living and the afterlife. Unlike other deities, these gatekeepers maintained a lower status yet persisted in tomb art, indicating their role in filtering negative energies at burial entrances and stone chamber thresholds. The research highlights the coexistence of Chinese Han-era cultural elements with non-Han northern and Central Asian influences, challenging assumptions about Koguryo's exclusive adherence to Chinese traditions.

Kim, S.-M. (2011). Study about Gategardiner during Tombs Mural of Koguryo. Sogang Journal of Early Korean History, 8, 69–108. https://doi.org/10.35160/sjekh.2011.08.8.69