Seonangdang Explained

Hangul:	서낭당
Rr:	Seonangdang
Mr:	Sŏnangdang
Othername1:	Alternative name
Hangul1:	성황당
Hanja1:	城隍堂
Rr1:	Seonghwangdang
Mr1:	Sŏnghwangdang

The, also known as the are holy stone cairns or trees that are dedicated to the deity Seonangshin, the patron of villages. The still remain common in the mountainous settlements of the Korean Peninsula.

History

The origins of the are unclear; archaeologists and historians have two theories.

The first theory is that originated in Korea. According to these historians, the originated as border marks between various villages. As the concept of religion developed, these borders became worshipped as the homes of the border deities, equivalent to the Roman deity of Terminus. These historians equate with the Sodo, a holy area in the Proto–Three Kingdoms of Korea. Other historians claim that developed as altars to Sanwang, the deities of mountains.

The other theory is that are the Korean variety of Ovoo, or Mongolian stone towers. The Mongolian worship of Ovoo are strikingly similar to the Korean worship of in that it is of stone, and is believed to grant the wishes of travelers. According to this theory, the cult followed the Mongol invasions of Korea, in the thirteenth century. However, there are records of before that.^[1] The first record of a is in the Goryeosa, a history book written about the Goryeo Dynasty in the 15th century. According to the book, in the reign of King Munjong of Goryeo, a 'Seonghwangsa', meaning 'Temple of Seonghwang', was constructed. In the Goryeo Dynasty, the best-known was in the town of Jeonju. King Gojong believed that the many defeats of the Mongols in the Mongol invasions of Korea were because the Seonangshin aided the Koreans.

As one of the best-known deities to the Sangmin, or commoners, the Seonangshin were respected during the subsequent Joseon Dynasty. The Joseon government split the Seonangshin into two categories; the official Gukhaeng Seonang, the patrons of the state, and the private Seonang, the village patrons.

The Joseon Dynasty rulers officially held rites in . After usurping the Goryeo Dynasty with a coup, King Taejo of Joseon held ceremonies in the Seonangdang all throughout the peninsula. King Taejong of Joseon honored the of Baekak and Songak (Gaeseong).^[2]

Appearance and location

were located on the hills or ridges near the village. There are five varieties of ;

1. The most common form of is a stone tower located next to or around a large tree. The tree was called the Shinmok (Holy Tree), where a Gut (a shamanistic ritual) was held.
2. Another form of was just a stone tower with no tree. This is generally regarded to be a modified form of the with a Shinmok, where the tower developed before the tree.
3. The third form of had no stone tower, but just the Seonang Namu, a tree that served as the house of Seonangshin. The tree was decorated with white or five-colored (red, yellow, white, blue, green) strips of silk, each equivalent to the cardinal directions. The Seonang Namu is regarded to be the same as the Shinmok.
4. This variety was widespread in Gangwon Province. There was no stone tower, but an actual house that was considered to be the residence of Seonangshin. This house was called the Dangjib, or the 'temple house'. The Dangjibs were traditionally made of wood with a tiled roof; Seonghwang Jishinwi (Hanja: 城隍之神位), meaning 'Here be Seonang'.
5. The last, southern variety was a vertically upright natural stone, up to 2 meters high and 120 centimeters wide.

Worship

The official government of Korea held, or ceremonies, in both regularly and at times of droughts and wars.

In villages, both shamans and housewives prayed in, but most of those who prayed at were travelers and wanderers. On trails, travelers and wanderers placed three additional stones on the tower, and prayed for safety on the path, as it was believed that the deity would protect the travelers. Thus, on popular trails could be extremely large and tall.

Notes and References

1. Web site: 서낭당.
2. Web site: 서낭당.