19세기 말~20세기 전반 한국사찰의 조왕신앙과 조왕도

Abstract

In traditional society, Jowang, the guardian spirit or the shamanic deity believed to reside in the kitchen has a power to control over fortune and misfortune as well as well-being and health of the family members. In addition to that, Jowang is the god of fire who keeps embers overnight. As one of the house spirit beliefs widely accepted by the people throughout the Joseon Dynasty, Jowang belief was absorbed by the Buddhist temples when Korean Buddhism accommodated a diverse aspect of folk beliefs during the late Joseon period. Jowang Sutra appeared firstly through Buddhist literatures published in the 17th century, and Jowang became a member of important spirits together with Sansin(Mountain-spirit) in Painting of the buddhist guardian dieites since the 18th century. Like many other folk belief agents, Jowang was amalgamated with Buddhism in the late Joseon Dynasty. Particularly, a conjunction with Buddhist guardian dieites belief allowed it to attain a rank of the divine guardian of the Dharma. Ever since it merged into Guardian deities, Jowang, along with Sansin(Mountain-spirit) and other folk deities, began to appear in Painting of the buddhist guardian dieites. In the late 19th century, it became a painting’s subject, having an independent status, and was enshrined in the Buddhist temple’s kitchens. Jowang-do, a single subject painting of kitchen god, was firstly made across the country in the late 19th century but mostly made in 20th century. In this study, twenty pieces of Jowang-do whose year of production is specifically known, were carefully examined in terms of their composition and symbolic elements. Jowang wears a crown and majestic attires and has a beard.