Bari Gongju (바리공주)
Description
A princess abandoned at birth who journeys to the underworld to find the water of life and save her dying parents. She becomes the ancestral shaman goddess (Mujo-sin) who guides souls of the dead to the afterlife. The central figure of Korean shamanic mythology.
The Legend
Princess Bari (바리공주) or Bari Dae-gin (바리데기) is a figure from Korean mythology that is passed down throughout the country, excluding Jeju Special Self-Governing Province. She is commonly known as the ancestor of shamans, Mujo God (무조신). Princess Bari is also referred to as Bali Princess (鉢里公主) or Sahee Princess (捨姬公主), which means a princess who bestows blessings with a Bari (바리) rice bowl. Princess Bari appears in the original form of the Haewon Gut (해원 굿) during the Ogugut (오구굿) ceremony and is definitively known as a goddess rather than a man.
In Popular Culture
The Princess Bari legend has been passed down as a narrative shaman song that constitutes part of the Ogugut or Haewon Gut. This tale is included in the recitations that occur before or during the shaman's ritual. Not all shamans across the country regard Princess Bari as the Mujo God; in regions where the Bari Princess song is not transmitted, Maitreya (미륵) or Gongsim (공심) may be regarded as the Mujo God. Additionally, the Princess Bari legend has been heavily influenced by Buddhism, and it is often difficult to distinguish whether some of its elements are unique to Korean ethnic narrative songs or derived from Buddhist stories.
This article is based on the Wikipedia article "바리공주" (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikipedia
Abilities
- 저승 여행
- 생명수 획득
- 영혼 인도
Weaknesses
- 인간적 한계
- 시련의 길
Sources
- 바리공주 서사무가
Genres
Story Hooks
- 버림받은 공주가 저승을 여행하여 부모를 살리고 무조신이 된다