조선시대 여제(厲祭) 설행과 무사귀신(無祀鬼神)의 문제

Abstract

This paper focused on “Musaguishin”(無祀鬼神), which is the subject of ritual named Yŏ-je (厲祭) during Chosŏn period. Musaguishin that means the ghosts having no ritual includes both the dead having no descendants and the dead having bad death. This paper illustrated the discordance in the tablets [神位] of Musaguishin from the understanding about Yŏ-je of Confucians in Chosŏn period. Confucians in Chosŏn regard Yŏ-je in which Musaguishin is ritualized as Yŏ(厲) that means the dead having no descendants displayed in ancient Confucians’ books. They considered Yŏ-je as the ritual for the dead having no descendants. The concept of Musaguishin is also related to Yŏ. Adding the dead having bad death is in the Ming dynasty. The Hongwu Emperor(洪武帝) held ritual ‘Yŏ-je’ as a revival of ancient Confucian ritual to Yŏ. However, Yŏ-je is an inventing ritual not only for the dead having no ritual, but for the dead having bad death. Yŏ-je, the ritual for Musakwishin including the dead, having no descendants and having bad death, is performed as the response of dangerous situation. Both of the death are regarded as a dangerous thing which brings disaster in ritual situation. Consequently, it is a religious practice to change insoluble danger caused by bad death to soluble danger caused by the dead having no ritual.