<칠성본풀이>에 나타난 칠성신앙의 양상

Abstract

One of the 12 Bonpuris of Jeju Island, "Chilseong Bonpuri" is the only snake deity Bonpuri as a common Shinbonpuri. The divinity of "Chilseong Bonpuri" has a title of "Chilseong deity" even though it is a snake deity, thus being particular for being used in mixture with Bukduchilseong deity. Focusing on the dual titles of the divinity, this study set out to investigate the patterns of Chilseong faith in "Chilseong Bonpuri" as a snake deity Bonpuri. "Chilseong Bonpuri" is divided into the Chilseong Gija type and the Sachal Gija type according to the stories related to birth. The stories of the Chilseong Gija type specifically present the relations between the Chilseong ceremony and deity and the acts and functions of Chilseong deity in the process till the birth of a child, demonstrating the attributes of Chilseong faith strongly. The descriptions after the birth, however, weaken in the aspects of Chilseong faith as it is changed to a snake deity myth concentrated on the process of becoming a snake deity. However, the Chilseong Gija stories of "Chilseong Bonpuri" have something to do with worshiping the Bukduchilseong deity as a Gija divinity in Buldomaji, a common gut of Jeju, or Chilseong ceremony, as well as show the process of Chilseong faith being incorporated into Samshin faith as it was passed down while negotiating with the Samshin faith. Born out of the vigor of Bukduchilseong, the baby is transformed into a snake deity and worshiped as the Chilseong deity, which finds its affinity in the attributes of the snake and Bukduchilseong as deities praying for good harvest. "Chilseong Bonpuri" contains strong aspects of a snake deity myth despite the fact that it was influenced by the Chilseong faith, which means that it was created and developed in the religious zone where the power of a snake deity was stronger than that of a Chilseong deity. "Chilseong Bonpuri" holds some significance in the history of faith in that it shows the patterns of faith integration and the process of faith transmission including the Chilseong faith, Samshin faith, and snake deity faith.