Jangseung

Template:Infobox Korean name/categories Template:Infobox Korean name/categories Template:Infobox Korean name/categories Template:Infobox Korean name/categories Template:Infobox Korean name/categories Template:Infobox Korean name/categories Template:Infobox Korean name/categories Template:Infobox Korean name/categories Template:Infobox Korean name/categories Template:Infobox Korean name/categories Template:Infobox Korean name/categories Template:Korean shamanism A (Korean: Template:Category handler) or village guardian is a Korean totem pole usually made of wood. were traditionally placed at the edges of villages to mark village boundaries and frighten away demons. They were also worshipped as village tutelary deities.

In the southern regions of Jeolla, Chungcheong, and Gyeongsang, jangseungs are also referred to as beopsu or beoksu, a variation of boksa (; Template:Category handler), meaning a male shaman.

In the Jeolla region, are often made of stone bearing some resemblance to the dolhareubangs of Jeju Island.

File:Village devil posts.jpg

"Village devil posts" () as described in The passing of Korea (1906) by the American Protestant missionary Homer Bezaleel Hulbert.

In Seoul, 18th century Joseon Dynasty King Jeongjo ordered erected in the area near Sangdo-dong to ward off evil spirits when he made a royal procession to Suwon, where his father's tomb was located. Since then, the district has been called Jangseungbaegi and has given its name to the Jangseungbaegi Station on the Seoul Metropolitan Subway's Line 7.

are usually adorned with inscriptions describing the personae of the carved figures along the front of the poles. "Male" usually bear inscriptions in Hanja or Hangul reading "Great General of All Under Heaven," or Cheonha-daejanggun (; Template:Category handler) and are decorated with headpieces resembling those worn by Korean aristocrats or scholars. "Female" , on the other hand, wear less elaborate headpieces and usually bear inscriptions reading "Female General of the Underworld," or Jiha-yeojanggun (; Template:Category handler) or "Great General of the Underworld," or Jiha-daejanggun (; Template:Category handler).

Place

Depending on the location or affiliation, can be divided into village guardian, temple guardian, and public guardian.

The village guardian is the god of dongje, and has the functions of village guardian, mural, expelling the harmful ghosts, fire prevention, and gathering happiness for the village.

The temple guardian post has the function of protecting the temple from the invisible evil spirits. The temple guardian is the boundary mark of the temple.

The public guardian is a milestone and a street god to protect the safety of the gate, barracks, and roads and sea roads.

See also

• Dol hareubang
• Sotdae
• Korean shamanism
• Pole worship
• Religion in Korea
• Seonangdang

External links

• Jangseung (Totem Poles) - An Object of Worship Template:Webarchive
• "Totem poles: Endangered folk icons from the past" from Korea Now.

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