문(門)을 둘러싼 의례와 신앙

Abstract

Gate(mun) is a kind of physical indicator to distinct the inner and outer spaces and here and there as well as a passageway for comings and goings. In case of house, there are a series of gates ranging from the main gate making a boundary between the inside and outside to specific inner-house doors such as Anbangmun(door of lady’s quarter), Bueokmun(kitchen door), Darangmun(attic door) and so on. In addition, Donggu, village gate is considered as a village gate although it does not have a specific installation required. We can also include gates of the castle town in this category. In other words mun has had a fundamental concept as a way in-and-out. This concept, however, implies comings in-and-out not only by human beings but by invisible existences such as ghosts and diseases. Gate gods so-called Munsin appear in various ritual and religious events and play different role in each case. In Yeongje, a national shamanic ritual, mun plays a significant role in praying for a peaceful reign by holding a ritual to the god of nature(Sancheonsin) at one of the major national gates; in cases of childbirth, funerary or wedding ceremonies and ancestral memorial services, mun functions not only as a boundary between inside and outside but as a symbol to expel evil spirits. This paper also show how the gate god came to be settled in this context by examining some literal records such as stories of 'Cheoyong' and 'Dohwanyeo and Obirang’, and Munjeonbonpuri from Jeju island. As described earlier, mun carries out protective mission to keep bad things such as diseases and disasters off as well as its authentic function. Mun has been expected to have munsin who is believed to accept good things and expel bad things by reflecting Byeoksajingyeong in folk beliefs. Also through protecting the inner space, it reinforce the inside solidarity. If we take a look at mun or munsin in various sources, it is difficult to distinguish its senses as it was in the previous classification. All things considered, we can conclude that mun and munsin with different measures reflect sincere desires for living happier lives. With this physical indicator, mun, Korea has reinforced its solidarity of different communities such as local villages and sometimes the nation itself. Concerning munsin, it has become a cultural tradition rather than an object of religious adoration. Even though it is true that this awareness of munsin has been gradually fading away as other folk phenomena, it does exist invisibly or visibly in the modern times. Accordingly, this paper aims to reestablish awareness of munsin by examining existing materials about it.