Chogong bon-puri

FolktaleKorea · East AsiaMythFear 2/10

Description

A folktale from the folklore of Korea. In Korean shamanism, the Chogong bon-puri (Korean: 초공본풀이) is a shamanic narrative whose recitation…

Origin & Background

Chogong bon-puri is a creation myth of Jeju shamanism, recited as the tenth ritual of the most sacred ceremony of Jeju shamanism, the daegut. This myth is considered the root of the gods and explains the entirety of Jeju shamanism, responding with 'it was done in Chogong bon-puri' when questioned about the origins of specific rituals.

The Legend

The narrative of Chogong bon-puri begins with a wealthy couple, Jimjinguk and Imjeongguk, who had no children. A monk from the Golden Temple suggested performing a ritual for a hundred days, resulting in the birth of a beautiful daughter, Nogadanpungagissi. She is imprisoned while her parents are away, but the monk appears to rescue her and she becomes pregnant. Her parents attempt to kill her but ultimately decide to chase her and her servant away. On her way to the Golden Temple, Nogadanpungagissi encounters various obstacles and eventually gives birth to triplets. They grow up to become the servants of three corrupt nobles and pass the civil service exam in Seoul to take revenge on the nobles.