제주도 무속신화에 나타난 저승차사의 기능과 의미 - <멩감본풀이>와 <차사본풀이>를 중심으로

Abstract

This paper studies the death consciousness of human beings through the roles of Jeoseungchasa based on <Maenggambonpuli> and <Chasabonpuli>, which are one of Jeju shamanic myths. ‘Maenggam’ and ‘Chasa’ are low-ranking divinities that take a person who reached to the allotted span of life to afterlife by a command of Siwang. A journey of the main character in each Bonpuli is more influenced by a place than time. The journey of three ‘Chasa’ in <Maenggambonpul-i> has an unilinear character in the order of 1)afterlife-2)this world-3)afterlife. The ‘way’ is a link between this world and afterlife. It functions as a passing way which makes Jeoseungchasa deviate from duty. A house is a place that takes the dead, but it is changed to a place that greets Siwang. Characteristics of Ganglim's journey in <Chasabonpuli> are a frequent moving and foreshadowing. A reason why Ganglim's journey means foreshadow is because he has to perform two duties as a director of this world and afterlife. And Haenggimot is the passing place of Ganglim's journey. Haenggimot as a boundary between this world and afterlife is a place that Ganglim has to pass to perform his duty. A destination of desire in each Bonpuli is closely relatedto position. Three corrupt ‘Chasa’ failed to accomplish their desire. But on the other hand, honest Ganglim accomplished his desire. From the relation between subject and sender, the three ‘Chasa’ are ‘fake characters’ that vary from a value system and Ganglim is a ‘real character’ that corresponds to the value system. As a result, three corrupt ‘Chasa’ throw the existing afterlife into confusion and Ganglim corrects the order of indigested this world and afterlife. The three ‘Chasa’ are in striking contrast with Ganglim. The three ‘Chasa’ have humanlike characters and Ganglim has a godlike character. We can find these background of characteristics from different functions of Bonpuli. <Chasabonpuli> is a folk tale that explains the basis of ‘Chasa’. So Ganglim represents an original class of the three ‘Chasa’ and the three ‘Chasa’ are figures after Ganglim. From old times, Ganglim is the existence in afterlife that is extremely strict and the three ‘Chasa’ reflect a chaotic period after that time. Ganglim's brave and wise personalities are well contrast with the personalities of three ‘Chasa’ that are easily tempted. Based on the shape of Ganglim, we can find the aspects of a god of war from China added on the figure of a indigenous god. In conclusion, as a result of studying problems of the death of human beings through the functions of Jeoseungchasa, Saman could survive because <Maenggambonpuli> reflects human-centered secular thoughts and three brothers died and reincarnated because <Chasabonpuli> reflects god-centered transcendental thoughts.