Igong Bonpuri
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The ''Igong Bonpuri'' (), better known in Korea as the Hallakgungi myth () is a narrative traditionally told by
shamans Shamanism is a spiritual practice that involves a practitioner (shaman) interacting with the Spirit (supernatural entity), spirit world through Altered state of consciousness, altered states of consciousness, such as trance. The goal of th ...
on the Korean island of Jejudo. The story bears similarity to the Buddhist book ''Worin Seokbo'' (月印釋譜; "The Moon's Reflection on the Buddha's Genealogy"), showing the close relationship of
Korean mythology Korean mythology () is the group of myths told by historical and modern Koreans. There are two types: the written, literary mythology in traditional histories, mostly about the founding monarchs of List of monarchs of Korea, various historical k ...
and
Buddhist mythology The Buddhist traditions have created and maintained a vast body of mythological literature. The central myth of Buddhism revolves around the purported events of the life of the Buddha. This is told in relatively realistic terms in the earlie ...
.


Plot

The ''Igong Bonpuli'' tells the story of Hallakgungi, who became the deity who protected the mythological realm of the Fields of Seocheon (, literally ''flower fields of the West''). The story is traditionally split into four parts; the parts will not be mentioned here. Long ago lived Gimjeongguk of the nation of Gimjeong, who lived in the upper village, and Imjeongguk of Imjeong, who lived in the lower village. Gimjeongguk was very poor, but Imjeongguk was extremely rich. However, both had no children, even after the age of forty; thus, they both prayed to a temple on the eastern peaks. Soon, the wives of both Gimjeongguk and Injeongguk both delivered infants. Gimjeongguk's child was a boy named Sara Doryeong, and Imjeongguk's child was a girl named Wongang Ami. The parents of Sara Doryeong and Wongang Ami promised that their children would
marry Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
each other in the future. When both children matured, Sara Doryeong and Wongang Ami married each other, and Wongang Ami soon bore a child. But one day, Sara Doryeong dreamed that the supreme deity, Okhwang Sangje, was summoning him to be the Igong (also known as Kkotgamdok, literally 'administrator of flowers'), the guardian of the Fields of Seocheon. Wongang Ami dreamed the same dream. However, because Wongang Ami was expecting a child, they refused to go. Still, Sara Doryeong and Wongang Ami was forced to go west to the Fields of Seocheon once they had the same dream for three nights. As they went on their way, Wongang Ami found that it was nearly impossible to continue the harsh journey because of her pregnancy. Finally, she pleaded with Sara Doryeong to sell herself and her unborn child as a
slave Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...
. Sara Doryeong accepted the plea, and tried to sell Wongang Ami for 300 coins and the
fetus A fetus or foetus (; : fetuses, foetuses, rarely feti or foeti) is the unborn offspring of a viviparous animal that develops from an embryo. Following the embryonic development, embryonic stage, the fetal stage of development takes place. Pren ...
for 100 coins to a wealthy man named Cheonnyeon Jangja. Cheonnyeon Jangja's first and second daughters advised their father to refuse to buy Wongang Ami, but the third daughter said that they should buy Wongang Ami. Cheonnyeon Jangja heeded the third daughter's advice and bought Wongang Ami. Sara Doryeong broke his comb in half, and gave one half to Wongang Ami, advising her to give this to her child when he/she tried to find his/her father. Sara Doryeong left, telling Wongang Ami to name the child Hallakgungi if he was male and Hallakdegi if she was female. After Sara Doryeong left, Cheonnyeon Jangja attempted to force Wongang Ami into having
sexual intercourse Sexual intercourse (also coitus or copulation) is a sexual activity typically involving the insertion of the Erection, erect male Human penis, penis inside the female vagina and followed by Pelvic thrust, thrusting motions for sexual pleasure ...
with him, but Wongang Ami excused herself by saying that in her country, people
remarried Remarriage is a marriage that takes place after a previous marital union has ended, as through divorce or widowhood. Some individuals are more likely to remarry than others; the likelihood can differ based on previous relationship status (e.g. di ...
only when a child was born. Soon, Wongang Ami delivered a boy. Heeding her husband's advice, she named the boy Hallakgungi. That night, Cheonnyeon Jangja appeared again, trying to force Wongang Ami into sexual union again, as the child was born. Wongang Ami once again refused, saying that in her country, people remarried only when the child plowed the fields with a plow and a cattle. Cheonnyeon Jangja was enraged by the constant refusals, and attempted to kill Wongang Ami. However, the third daughter advised him that they should use Wongang Ami and Hallakgungi as
laborers A laborer ( or labourer) is a person who works in manual labor typed within the construction industry. There is a generic factory laborer which is defined separately as a factory worker. Laborers are in a working class of wage-earners in whic ...
. Again, Cheonnyeon Jangja heeded the third daughter's advise, and forced Wongang Ami to carry five bowls of water every day and build three bowls for holding water every night. When Hallakgungi passed from infant to child, Cheonnyeon Jangja forced Hallakgungi to
log Log most often refers to: * Trunk (botany), the stem and main wooden axis of a tree, called logs when cut ** Logging, cutting down trees for logs ** Firewood, logs used for fuel ** Lumber or timber, converted from wood logs * Logarithm, in mathe ...
fifty trees per day and twist fifty knots per night. One day, Cheonnyeon Jangja ordered Hallakgungi to clear all the trees on an entire mountainside within a day, and to seed the field with
millet Millets () are a highly varied group of small-seeded grasses, widely grown around the world as cereal crops or grains for fodder and human food. Most millets belong to the tribe Paniceae. Millets are important crops in the Semi-arid climate, ...
. When Hallakgungi reached the mountain, a gigantic
wild boar The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a Suidae, suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The speci ...
appeared and plowed down all the trees. Hallakgungi then seeded the fields and returned to Cheonnyeon Jangja's mansion. Cheonnyeon Jangja was surprised by the extremely fast fulfillment of his orders, but then gave a new task to Hallakgungi. He said that the millet seeds had been planted at the wrong time, and ordered Hallakgungi to retrieve all the seeds. When Hallakgungi returned to the field, a colony of Carpenter ants had already stacked the millet seeds in a careful pile. When Halakgungi returned with the pile of millet seeds, Cheonnyeon Jangja counted them cautiously, and pronounced that one seed was missing. When Hallakgungi stepped out of Cheonnyeon Jangja's mansion, a single
carpenter ant Carpenter ants (''Camponotus'' spp.) are a genus of large ants (workers ) indigenous to many parts of the world. True carpenter ants build nests inside wood, consisting of galleries chewed out with their mandibles or jaws, preferably in dead, ...
was waiting for him out the gate. The ant was biting on a single millet seed with its jaws. Hallakgungi took the millet seed and gave it to Cheonnyeon Jangja. When Hallakgungi was ten, Cheonnyeon Jangja ordered Hallakgungi to plow the fields with a plow and a cattle. Cheonnyeon Jangja then approached Wongang Ami, and tried to force her once again to have
sexual intercourse Sexual intercourse (also coitus or copulation) is a sexual activity typically involving the insertion of the Erection, erect male Human penis, penis inside the female vagina and followed by Pelvic thrust, thrusting motions for sexual pleasure ...
with him, as Hallakgungi now plowed the fields. Wongang Ami made up another excuse, but her options were narrowing. One day, Hallakgungi met old men playing Baduk in the woods where he went to log. They told Hallakgungi to catch a
white stag A white stag (or white hind for the female) is a white-colored red deer, elk, sika deer, chital, reindeer, or moose. A white deer from species such as fallow deer, roe deer, white-tailed deer, black-tailed deer, or rusa, is instead referred to ...
and ride on the stag to his father. As he climbed down the mountain, he found a white stag grazing on a ridge. Hallakgungi captured the stag and took him to Cheonnyeon Jangja's mansion. After returning to the mansion of his master, Hallakgungi went to find his mother, Wongang Ami. He asked Wongang Ami who his father was. After a brief pause, Wongang Ami answered that the father of Hallakgungi was Cheonnyeon Jangja. In response, Hallakgungi asked Wongang Ami to fry red beans for him. However, Wongang Ami could not find a spoon. As she was stirring the frying beans with her own hand, Hallakgungi crushed Wongang Ami's hand so that she could not raise her hand above the frying beans. He then asked once again who his father was. Wongang Ami took the broken comb and gave it to her son, and told Hallakgungi that his father was Sara Doryeong, who was now the deity Igong, the guardian of the Fields of Seocheon. Additionally, she made Hallakgungi two
Tteok ''Tteok'' () is a general term for Korean rice cakes. They are made with steamed flour of various grains, especially glutinous rice, glutinous and non-glutinous Japonica rice, rice. Steamed flour can also be pounded, shaped, or pan-fried to make ...
, or rice cake, by mixing five sacks of
buckwheat Buckwheat (''Fagopyrum esculentum'') or common buckwheat is a flowering plant in the knotweed family Polygonaceae cultivated for its grain-like seeds and as a cover crop. Buckwheat originated around the 6th millennium BCE in the region of what ...
and five sacks of salt. Hallakgungi rode on the white stag and fled Cheonnyeon Jangja's mansion. Cheonnyeon Jangja was enraged by Hallakgungi's escape and set his two
bloodhounds The bloodhound is a large scent hound, originally bred for hunting deer, wild boar, rabbits, and since the Middle Ages, for tracking people. Believed to be descended from hounds once kept at the Abbey of Saint-Hubert, Belgium, in French it is c ...
, Cheollidongi and Mallidongi, on Hallakgungi's trail. Cheollidongi could run 1,000 li, or 500 kilometers, per day (about 50 km/h), and Mallidongi could run 10,000 li, or 5,000 kilometers, per day (about 500 km/h). Cheollidongi was the first to find Hallakgungi on the white stag. Hallakgungi threw the dog one of his two buckwheat cakes. Cheollidongi ate the cake, but found that the cake was extremely salty. Cheollidongi fled to get a drink of water. Likewise, when Mallidongi came to attack Hallakgungi, Hallakgungi also gave him a cake, and the bloodhound fled to get a drink of water. Meanwhile, Cheonnyeon Jangja tortured Wongang Ami three times, but Wongang Ami did not submit to Cheonnyeon Jangja's wishes. Finally, Cheonnyeon Jangja cut off Wongang Ami's head, legs and arms, and fed her remains to the crows in the Field of Cheongdae. Hallakgungi was continuing the way to the Fields of Seocheon when he encountered a white river as high as the knee. Next, he encountered a yellow river as high as the waist, and finally, he encountered a red river as high as the neck. When Hallakgungi crossed the red river, he found himself in a strange land. The land was the Fields of Seocheon. When he heard someone approaching, Hallakgungi quickly hid himself on a willow tree near a lake and mixed a drop of blood by into the lake biting his midfinger. When the young
apprentice Apprenticeship is a system for training a potential new practitioners of a Tradesman, trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study. Apprenticeships may also enable practitioners to gain a license to practice in ...
s of the Fields of Seocheon scooped up the water in the lake and give them to the flowers in the Fields of Seocheon, the flowers shriveled up. When Sara Doryeong was informed of this mysterious plague, he went to the willow tree and asked Hallakgungi who he was. Hallakgungi answered that he was Hallakgungi, son of Wongang Ami, and gave the broken comb to Sara Doryeong. Sara Doryeong also took out his half of the broken comb, and matched the two halves. The match was perfect. Sara Doryeong said that the three multicolored rivers were composed of the tears of Wongang Ami during her three tortures. Hallakgungi vowed to take revenge on Cheonnyeon Jangja. In response, Sara Doryeong gave Hallakgungi the five Hwansaengkkot (literally 'Flowers of Reincarnation'), which were the Bbyeosalikkot (literally 'Flower that revives the bones'), Salsalikkot (literally 'Flower that revives the flesh'), Pisalikkot (literally 'Flower that revives the blood'), Sumsalikkot (literally 'Flower that revives the breath'), and Honsalikkot (literally 'Flower that revives the soul'). Additionally, Sara Doryeong gave Hallakgungi the Uleumkkot (Flower of weeping), Useumkkot (Flower of laughter), Bulbuteulkkot (Flower that brings fire'), Bujadoelkkot ('Flower that brings affluence') Ssaumkkot (Flower of combat), Seonshimkkot (Flower of the good mind), and the Suremyeolmangakshimkkot (Flower that brings destruction through the evil mind). Finally, Sara Doryeong made his son a
cane Cane or caning may refer to: *Walking stick, or walking cane, a device used primarily to aid walking * Assistive cane, a walking stick used as a mobility aid for better balance * White cane, a mobility or safety device used by blind or visually i ...
made out of
styrax ''Styrax'' (common names storax or snowbell) is a genus of about 130 species of large shrubs or small trees in the family Styracaceae, mostly native to warm temperate to tropical regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with the majority in eastern ...
wood. Hallakgungi returned to Cheonnyeon Jangja's house, disguised as a blind magician. He first showed the Useumkkot, which was created to give joy to those in despair. Suddenly, Cheonnyeon Jangja's family laughed ceaselessly to the point of being painful. Next was the Uleumkkot, designed to grant tears to those who had no tears. Every member of Cheonnyeon Jangja's family found themselves weeping for no reason. Then, Hallakgungi showed the Ssaumkkot, and Cheonnyeon Jangja's family fought viciously among themselves. Hallakgungi told the third daughter of Cheonnyeon Jangja to cover her eyes, then finally revealed the Suremyeolmangakshimkkot. Everyone except the third daughter ate each other until the only survivors were Hallakgungi and the third daughter. Hallakgungi asked the third daughter where Wongang Ami's body was, and the third daughter had no choice but to answer. When Hallakgungi reached the Field of Cheongdae, he found that a rose of winter tree had grown on Wongang Ami's forehead and that an
empress tree ''Paulownia tomentosa'', common names princess tree, empress tree, or foxglove-tree, is a deciduous hardwood tree in the family (biology), family Paulowniaceae, native to central and eastern China and the Korean Peninsula. It is an extremely fas ...
had grown on Wongang Ami's chest. When he placed the Bbyeosalikkot, the scattered bones met with each other to form a complete skeleton. When he placed the Salsalikkot, flesh grew above the bones. When he placed the Pisalikkot, blood flew in Wongang Ami's veins. When he placed the Sumsalikkot, Wongang Ami started to breathe again. When Hallakgungi placed the Honsalikkot, Wongang Ami regained consciousness. Finally, Hallakgungi struck Wongang Ami three times with his
styrax ''Styrax'' (common names storax or snowbell) is a genus of about 130 species of large shrubs or small trees in the family Styracaceae, mostly native to warm temperate to tropical regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with the majority in eastern ...
cane. Wongang Ami finally rose. After seeing that a rose of winter and an empress tree had grown on her body, Wongang Ami said that these trees had grown on her fury. Thus, from that day, women made hair oil from rose of winter fruit and make a cane from empress tree wood. Wongang Ami and Hallakgungi went to the fields of Seocheon together. There, Hallakgungi became the second Igong, the god of the fields of Seocheon. Meanwhile, Sara Doryeong and Wongang Ami retreated somewhere in the heavens. News of the tale of Hallakgungi was spread by those who had lived near Cheonnyeon Jangja. From that day, it became traditionary for sons to carry on their father's career, just as Hallakgungi had carried on Sara Doryeong's career of Igong.


'' Igong Maji''

Like nearly all Korean oral myths, the Igong Bonpuli is part of a Gut, or shamanistic ritual. The ''Igong Bonpuli'' is sung in most large
Guts The gastrointestinal tract (GI tract, digestive tract, alimentary canal) is the tract or passageway of the digestive system that leads from the mouth to the anus. The tract is the largest of the body's systems, after the cardiovascular system. ...
in Jeju Island, a medium-sized island south of the
Korean Peninsula Korea is a peninsular region in East Asia consisting of the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Island, and smaller islands. Since the end of World War II in 1945, it has been politically divided at or near the 38th parallel between North Korea (Dem ...
. In large Guts, the ''Igong Bonpuli'' is sung after the Chogong Maji. The recital of the ''Igong Bonpuli'' is a part of the larger ritual, Igong Maji, literally 'Greeting the Igong'. The Igong Maji was recited by a shaman in peasant's clothing. He sat on a table and sang the myth with the help of a drum-like instrument called the
Janggu The ''janggu'' (, also transliterated as ''janggo'' or ''changgo'') or ''seyogo'' () is a drum often used in traditional Korean music. It consists of an hourglass-shaped body with two heads made from various types of leather. The two heads pr ...
.


Field of Seocheon in other myths

The Field of Seocheon is a highly important setting in
Korean mythology Korean mythology () is the group of myths told by historical and modern Koreans. There are two types: the written, literary mythology in traditional histories, mostly about the founding monarchs of List of monarchs of Korea, various historical k ...
, but especially in Jeju Island. It appears in four myths, excluding the ''Igong Bonpuli''. * In the myth of Baridegi, the seventh daughter of King Ogu, uses the five Hwansaengkkot to revive her dead father. * In the ''
Munjeon Bonpuli The ''Munjeon Bonpuri'' (), meaning 'Annals of the Door', 'Book of the Door', 'Narration of the Door' or 'Explanation of the Door', is a myth of Jeju Island regarding Gasin, or deities that are believed to reside within the house. Plot In th ...
'' myth, Nokdisaengin, the seventh son of Namseonbi, revives his dead mother with the Hwansaengkkot. He is aided by Hallakgungi. * In the ''Segyeong Bonpuli'' myth, Jacheong-bi borrows the Hwansaengkkot from Sara Doryeong (called 'Great King Sara' or 'Sara Jangja' in the ''Segyeong Bonpuli'') in return for killing an owl. Jacheong Bi uses the five flowers to revive Jeongsunam, her
slave Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...
. In the ''Segyeong Bonpuli'', Sara Doryeong has three daughters. Towards the end of the ''Segyeong Bonpuli'', Jacheong-bi borrows the Suremyeolmangakshimkkot from Sara Doryeong. Jacheong-bi uses the Suremyeolmangakshimkkot to destroy an army of
Gwishin ''Gwisin'' () are a type of deity, divinity, spirit or ghost in Korean folklore. They are considered similar to a ''yogoe'' () or ''mamul'' (). Unlike dokkaebi, ''gwisin'' are humans who have died. According to folklore, ''gwisin'' may be fo ...
, who have rebelled against the gods. * In the ''Saelbung Halmang Bonpuli'' and the ''Manura Bonpuli'', the goddess of childbirth, Samshin, is said to use the Hwansaengkkot to impregnate a woman.


Similarities with other myths

The ''Igong Bonpuli'' bears a striking similarity to the eighth chapter of the Buddhist book ''Wolin Seokbo''. The ''Wolin Seokbo'' was written in 15th-century Korea, and it is perfectly possible that the myth of the ''Igong Bonpuli'' influenced the ''Wolin Seokbo'', or vice versa. The eighth chapter of the ''Wolin Seokbo'' is a piece of
Buddhist mythology The Buddhist traditions have created and maintained a vast body of mythological literature. The central myth of Buddhism revolves around the purported events of the life of the Buddha. This is told in relatively realistic terms in the earlie ...
about the Crown Prince Anrakguk. In the ''Wolin Seokbo'' myth, Hallakgungi is called 'Anrakguk', Sara Doryeong is 'Great King Sarasu', Wongang Ami is 'Wonang Buin', and Cheonnyeon Jangja is called 'Jahyeon Jangja'. The plot is also similar; Anrakguk revives his mother Wonang Buin, who was murdered when Jahyeon Jangja stabbed her with a sword, with
lotus flowers ''Nelumbo nucifera'', also known as the pink lotus, sacred lotus, Indian lotus, or simply lotus, is one of two extant species of aquatic plant in the family Nelumbonaceae. It is sometimes colloquially called a water lily, though this more oft ...
given by his father Great King Sarasu. However, in the Anrakguk myth, there is no realm resembling the Fields of Seocheon. There are two Korean oral myths in the mainland that resemble the ''Igong Bonpuli''. First is a myth in the Ganggye region of
North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders China and Russia to the north at the Yalu River, Yalu (Amnok) an ...
, which is called the ''Sinseon Setyeonnim Cheongbae''. Another is the ''Yakyangguk Wangja Norae'' myth, literally 'Song of the Prince of the State of Yakyang', retold in the
Gimhae Gimhae (, ) is a Administrative divisions of South Korea, city in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea, situated near the Nakdong River. It is the seat of the large Gimhae Kim clan, one of the largest Kim (Korean name), Kim clans in Korea, cla ...
region.


References

{{Korean mythology Korean mythology