The Guide

The passage to the other world is unknown and full of danger. The travelling soul can easily become lost along the way and once lost, unexpected occurrences can happen. This type of Kokdu safely guide these travellers, steering them away from confusion and to a world full of meaning.

Triple-Faced Man Riding a Horse

Painted on Wood

Late 19th ~ Early 20th Century

Height 14.8 inches

The Guard  

The traveller has already left their home town, but has not yet arrived at the place where comfort and safety are waiting. They still remain in the area between the "already" and the "yet." This undifferentiated or unclassified territory is filled with malignant spirits and wicked energy. This type of Kokdu will protect the traveller all the way to their destination and keep the passage clear of trouble. For this purpose the Kokdu＇s faces and gestures are carved with aggression and sometimes are even equipped with weapons.

Man Riding a Horse

Painted on Wood

Late 19th ~ Early 20th Century

Height 12.2 inches

The Carer 

These Kokdu lend their help to the traveller but remain quiet and poised; their postures are never assertive. Anyone who avoids bothersome chores cannot understand their real meaning, however these Kokdu realize the cosmic meanings in their embodied figures, that is why their faces are pure.

Female Attendant/Bride

Painted on Wood

Late 19th ~ Early 20th Century

Height 11.9 inches

The Entertainer 

We are saddened and feel empty when we travel alone to an unknown destination. One is comforted when they are touched by the pleasant and vital energy of the Kokdu. When Kokdu play musical instruments, dance, clown around, and perform stage dramas or acrobatics, they provide laughter and cheer to raise our spirits.

Acrobatic Clown

Painted on Wood

Late 19th ~ Early 20th Century

Height 10.3 inches

Phoenixes: Bongwhang  

Several birds accompany the funeral bier: birds of paradise, birds from the world of the dead, cranes taking flight and the phoenixes. All of them symbolize transcendence and flight. The most important is the phoenix, one of which is perched at each of the four corners of the funeral bier. The phoenix symbolizes the departure of the deceased from this world towards a new world, where gravity no longer holds. Sometimes the head of the phoenix resembles a flame of a plant stem rising towards the sky.

Phoenix Entangled with a Pine Tree

Painted on Wood

Late 19th ~Early 20th Century

Height 21.3 inches

Dragons: Yong  

The most noticeable Kokdu on the funeral bier are the dragons that symbolize the King, the highest power, the one who transcends our world. The dragon as it appears on the funeral bier consists of three elements. The first is the dragon head plank situated at the front and the back of the bier. Its role is to protect the funeral bier and the deceased from evil spirits. The second element is the horizontal dragon, consisting of two dragons, one blue and one yellow, whose tails are braided together. The third element is vertical and is called the t-shaped dragon. The intertwined bodies of the horizontal dragon and the vertical or t-shaped dragon are a sign of their interdependence and the inseparable complexity of the dragons and their complimentary natures.

Dragon Face Board with Fish

Painted on Wood

Late 19th ~ Early 20th Century

Height 13.2 inches × Width 24.8 inches

Funeral Bier: Sangyeo

Following ancient documents as a guide, this funeral bier was made to originally display the precious relics of the Kokdu Museum. The whole structure and the shape are taken from the gorgeous and magnificent multi-level biers of the late Joseon Dynasty. The bier body, which would have been carried by 24 men is made from superior pine trees and holds 46 Kokdu. It represented the beauty of Korean tradition at the 2010 Gwangju Biennale

Funeral Bier: Sangyeo

Painted on Wood

Created from traditional designs

Kokdu from Late 19th ~ Early 20th Century

Length 178.3 inches  × Height 99.2 inches  × Width  78.7 inches