Cheondoism

Korean Shamanism

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• published: 08 Jan 2014
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Korean shamanism ------------------------------- Korean shamanism, today known as Muism (Mugyo, "religion of the Mu") or sometimes Sinism (Shingyo, "religion of the gods"), encompasses a variety of indigenous religious beliefs and practices of the Korean people and the Korean sphere. In contemporary South Korea, the most used term is Muism and a shaman is known as a mudang (무당, 巫堂) or Tangol (당골). The role of the mudang, usually a woman, is to act as intermediary between a spirit entity, spirits or gods and human beings. Women are enlisted by those who want the help of the spirit world. Shamans hold gut, or services, in order to gain good fortune for clients, cure illnesses by exorcising negative or 'bad' spirits that cling to people, or propitiate local or village gods. Such services are also held to guide the spirit of a deceased person to higher realms. Koreans, like other East Asians, have traditionally been eclectic rather than exclusive in their religious commitments. Their religious outlook has not been conditioned by a single, exclusive faith, and even though many Koreans converted to Buddhism when it was introduced to the country, the influence of Muism was still strong even among Buddhists. This changed during the long period of Korean history during the later colonial period, when Christian missionaries demonised mudang and Muist followers, and since the significant expansion of Christianity in South Korea between the 1960s and the 1990s. However, in 2007 a resurgence of Muism in South Korea was reported, where it is practised by around 8% of the population. Korean shamanism is distinguished by seeking to resolve human problems through a meeting of humanity and the spirits. This can be seen clearly in the various types of gut (굿) that are still widely practiced. Korean shamans are similar in many ways to those found in Siberia, Mongolia, and Manchuria. They also resemble the yuta found on the Ryukyu Islands, in Japan. Jeju Island is also a center of Korean Shamanism. Muism has exerted influence on the basis of some of the Korean new religions, such as Cheondoism. According to various sociological studies the strong similarity and convergence of native Korean shamanic mythos and the Christian core have favored the spread of Christianity in South Korea, and even shaped the intimate features of the Korean Christian approach. In the first book (season) of the animated TV show The Legend of Korra (Avatar The Last Airbender), the villain Amon wears a mask similar to various masks from the Joseon Dynasty of Korea. During this period, there were different types of masks with varying numbers of red dots on them. These include the white shaman mask (Somu) which had a single red dot centered on the forehead, white bridal mask (Gaksital) with a red dot located on each cheek and one in the middle of the forehead, and the flirty young concubine mask (Bune) which resembled the bridal mask but was brown with a more prominent smile. Besides Korra, there are other TV shows that focus on Korean masks such as the Korean drama called Bridal Mask. In this show, the hero hides his identity from evil forces by wearing a bridal mask. The drama is set during the colonial period in Korea (Japanese occupation) and focuses on the struggles and heroics of various characters. For more information, you can visit: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_... - http://factsanddetails.com/world/cat5... - http://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/6... - http://pacificasiamuseum.wordpress.co... - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mask#Korea - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amon_(T...) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridal_... - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priest_(...) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religio... - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_Squad_(film)