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The Three Tombs of Kangso located in Kangso District, Nampho, are Koguryo tombs with murals.

The colours of the murals still remain so vivid that they are known as the best of Koguryo tomb murals.

The Three Tombs of Kangso constitute a cluster of three tombs.

The tomb cluster with three stone chamber and earth mounds, nearly equal in size, is in the shape of an equilateral triangle. The largest tomb at the front is called the large tomb in Kangso and behind it there are the other two tombs, of which the one in the west is called the middle-sized tomb in Kangso and the one in the east the small tomb in Kangso.

The large and middle-sized tombs have murals depicting a blue dragon, white tiger, red phoenix and tortoise-serpent. Though they are all fictitious animals, they are very vivid and look strong because they are well depicted in an artistic way on the basis of detailed observation of the properties of such real animals as big snake, tiger, chicken and tortoise.

Lines, the basic means of expression of Korean painting, were skilfully applied, along with paints of distinct colours, and some of them even give three-dimensional effects.

The murals of the Three Tombs of Kangso are not only masterpieces that represent the acme of Koguryo’s pictorial art but also part of the cultural heritage elements which contributed greatly to the world cultural treasury.

The tombs are well preserved as national treasures.