산신제에 수반되는 ‘마짐시루’의 의미와 성격

Abstract

One of the procedures of Sansinjae (a religious service for the spirits of a mountain) inherited in Chungcheong area was, so to call, ‘Majimsiru'. This was a very unique ceremony which was not found in any other area in Korea. Every member of a village community gathered to devote themselves to the spirit of a mountain to coincide with Sansinjae. The tradition of Majimsiru was a major ceremony wherever the village which had the tradition of Sansinjae. The purpose of this study is to seek for the meaning and characteristics of Majimsiru among village communities based on the data collected in local. The results showed that the term of Majimsiru was used interchangeably with other terms such as Matsiru, Majungsiru, Majusiru, Majimsiru, Matumsiru, Majungjae, and Sansingosa. The word, Majimsiru, is a complex noun with the combination of ‘mat-ta' and ‘siru'. It followed meaning change from transitive verb, ‘mat-ta', to ‘Majin', ‘Matum', ‘Majung', and ‘Maju'. Therefore, Majimsiru was assuming the meaning of ‘Matihada (Welcome)' or ‘Matadeulida (Welcome and Let in)' basically. Also, it assumed the meaning of ‘Maju olida (Set and Raise)' or ‘Majung and olida (Greet and Raise)' at the same time. To summarize, Majimsiru can be defined as ‘an earthenware steamer used in welcoming and raising mountain spirits which descend in temple of mountain; or ‘a steamed rice cake steamer' used in Sansinjae and ‘an earthenware steamer raised in opposite direction' used in Sansinjae. Majimsiru is a symbolic ceremony in which unity among village community was vividly presented. It was one of the important characteristics of Sansinjae in Chungcheong area. Often, Sansinjae, a typical village ceremony in Confucian society, was called as Quiet type ceremony, which did not associate with instruments of folk music. However, through Majimsiru, the quiet and solemn type ceremony could employ a very dynamic feature by participation of every village member. Indeed, Majimsiru was not a small sized individual Sansinjae any more but could be interpreted as a very active ceremony praying for village unity by welcoming the spirits of mountain and praying the spirits for blessing and happiness of all village members. Also, Majimsiru could be confirmed as a ceremony in which participants prayed the spirits of house for blessing strongly including the spirits of the house property and house building.