중국의 관공신앙 고찰 -관공신앙의 역사적 전개와 현대 관공문화를 중심으로

Abstract

Guangong cult worships the general Guanyu from the Eastern Han Dynasty in China. The early Guangong cult served the Village god in Jingzhou during the Wei Jin Southern and Northern Dynasties. It was officially recognized by the royal court in the Song Dynasty as Guangong’s miracles achieved recognition. The official recognition by the royal court led to expansion of Guangong, and Guangong became a common god for all stratums. To eliminate the conflicts between neighboring nations and maintain the dictatorial government, the royal court during the Ming Dynasty and the Qing Dynasty used Guanyu’s ‘loyal spirit’ to symbolize the social integration. Therefore during the Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty, Guangong was represented as a Confucian loyalist who protects the country. Guangong’s loyal spirit was continued to these days and is being reemphasized in China. Also what was before the ‘symbol of social integration’ has now turned into the ‘symbol of national integration’, drawing attention. Guangong cult was able to become the most famous folk beliefs in China as it was influenced by other religious cultures in political and cultural aspects. Nowadays, Guangong cult is widely spread out throughout the world including the mainland China and Taiwan. It is easy to see a Guangong temple wherever the Chinese reside. The purpose of this paper lies in revealing how Guangong cult, one of the most famous folk beliefs in China, grew to be the ‘national unification god’ that connects the mainland China and Taiwan and the symbol of national integration that connects overseas Chinese by studying the establishment and development process of the cult.