신라시대의 학질 퇴치 민간요법—처용설화 해석의 한 단서—

Abstract

The Cheoyong tale (處容說話) is a mysterious story included in the strange edition of Samgukyusa (三國遺事), so it is difficult to understand it as a historical reality. This is the reason why there are so many research achievements that it is difficult to count them. This study identified the theme of Byeoksa-jingyeong's tale (僻邪進慶) and decided to reveal the true nature of Cheoyong and Yeoksin (疫神) by examining the various paths through which this theme was revealed. In order to approach the theme of the tale, it is necessary to be aware of the diseases of pre-modern people. Since they had no scientific medical knowledge, they thought that diseases were caused by ghosts invading the human body. Therefore, curing a disease meant constructing a ghost that carried it. This ghost-deafeating folklore was collected countless times during case studies in the late 1920s. The Cheoyong tale is a tale that arose from the treatment of Malaria (瘧疾) during the Silla Dynasty. In other words, Cheoyong had a powerful ability to exorcise demons, and he exorcised the Malaria－carring ghost that invaded his wife by singing and dancing. The peoples of Silla revered him who defeated the gods of evil, and composed Cheoyongga (處容歌) and Cheoyongmu (處容舞) to pray for Byeoksa-jingyeong. Until today, the interpretation of Cheoyongga as Cheoyong's wife's adultery was an error in literally interpreting the comical expression in Cheoyongga that interprets the invasion of a Malaria－carring ghost on a woman as 'copulation'. In this way, the Silla people recognized Cheoyong as the cure for all diseases, and thus he became a symbol of Byeoksa-jingyeong. Afterwards, Cheoyongga and Cheoyongmu were performed as Byeoksa-jingyeong congratulations at royal ceremonies during the Goryeo-Joseon Dynasty. King Sejong of the Joseon Dynasty changed Cheoyongga to Bonghwangum (鳳凰吟), and the people's Byeoksa-jingyeong was sublimated into a national Byeoksa-jingyeong for the well-being of the royal family and the happiness of the people. Cheoyongmu was performed at the royal court until the end of the Joseon Dynasty, wearing masks decorated with peaches, symbolizing Byeoksa, and peonies, symbolizing Jingyeong. In this way, the Cheoyong tale is a strange story that can only be understood by looking at the awareness of pre-modern people since the Silla Dynasty on disease, the resulting wish for Byeoksa-jingyeong, and the flow of Cheoyongga and Cheoyongmu that embody this wish.