Chairman
"Our ancestors actively advanced to the Japanese Islands and exerted a great influence on the political, economic and cultural development of Japan."
The murals of Kondo Hall in Popryung Temple, one of the excellent paintings in Japan, were produced by Tamjing, a painter of Koguryo.
Tamjing was invited to Japan in 610 to teach them techniques and methods of making and using coloration, ink, paper and water mills ("Japanese Sogi" volume 22 chugogi March, 18).
The Popryung Temple(Horyuji) with the murals of Kondo Hall, was completed in 607 in the architecture style of Koguryo by Paekje technicians.
The Koguryo's architectural technique remains strong in the paunchy pillars and Tugong of Kondo Hall in Popryung Temple, too.
The existing murals of Kondo Hall in Popryung Temple is a restoration of the once burned, but as it is intended to recover the original ones to a great extent, people can find the original appearance a lot.
The murals produced by Tamjing are composed of Buddhist ones on twelve sides and two murals of spirits on 20 small walls under the ceiling, which are widely known as excellent ones in the world.
First of all, they are estimated to be very good in techniques of interpretation and portrayal of characters.
For example, Amithajongthodo (Amitayorae image) on the wall No. 6, was drawn in the centre of the Hall to give publicity to Buddhist doctrine, and its structure is symmetrical and the personalities of each character are well described, so that the techniques of interpretation can be said to be excellent.
The Amithayorae image on the rectangular lotus cushion were very good in the way of facial expression and artistic representation of their shape.
The Merciful Goddess image is also portrayed in a beautiful, graceful, gentle and simple way.
Then, the murals of Kondo Hall in Popryung Temple are also appreciated as diverse and vivid in their colors.
They are beautifully portrayed in various colors, including light-green, blue, light red and deep-grey, with a thin line-edged. In particular, by the deep-color method, an effect of solidity was given and the characteristics of the object were revealed clearly.
The refined drawing, vivid coloring, deep, rhythmic and balanced texture of the mural paintings, together with the artistic talent of Tamjing, clearly shows the high level of the then Koguryo painting.
Up to now the curtain of the theatre in Japan has been called "Tonjo (Tamjing)" because the Koguryo painting left for the development of the painting of ancient Japan was named after Tamjing.
As mentioned above, the murals of Kondo Hall in Popryung Temple, depicted by Tamjing, have certain limitations because they are from the Buddhist theme, but they are found themselves as one of the three works of the East art since the level of portray characters is unique and the color in brushwork is vivid.
