Korean mythology consists of national legends and folk-tales which come from all over the Korean Peninsula. The origin may be a blend of Korean shamanism, Buddhist, Chinese myths, Confucian and Taoist legends and myths. The legends may also vary gre...
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The Chasa Bonpuri, known in other versions as the Chesa Bonpuri (1933 version) or the Cheseo Bonpuri (2006 and 2008 versions), is a Korean myth of Jeju Island. It is a myth that tells how Gangnim, the death god, came to be. As one of the best-known myths in the Korean peninsula, the Chasa Bonpuri is a characteristic hero epic.
Etymology
The term Chasa Bonpuli (차사 본풀이) means "Solving the origins of the death god"; modern academic circles synonymize "Bonpuli" with "myth". Chasa is the Standard Korean pronunciation of the Chinese word Chaishi (差使), meaning "messenger". In the Jeju language however, chaishi is pronounced Chesɒ or Cheshi, leading to the different names per each version.
Major Plot
Like all oral myths, there are multiple versions of the Chasa Bonpuli. The best-known version, introduced in the Encyclopedia of Korean culture, is related here. King Beomu, who ruled the kingdom of Donggyeong, had seven sons, four of whom were blessed with long life, while three were not. When the three sons were nine, the monk of Donggwaneumjeol died, saying to his student; "The lifespans of the three sons of King Beomu are fifteen years. Lengthen their lives by making them monks."
After three years of mourning, the student took the three sons of King Beomu and made them monks. After the princes had been monks for three years, they returned home. Their mentor gave the advice to evade the realm of Gwayang, then sent them away with linen and silk.
The princes, however, were famished, and entered the house of Gwayangsaeng, who lived in the realm of Gwayang. The wife of Gwayangsaeng (whose name is not given) gave the princes intoxicating wine, then poured molten oil into their ears. The wife then took the linen and silk and sank the cadavers in the Jucheon River. Seven days later, Gwayangsaeng's wife discovered three lotus blossoms floating on the Jucheon River. The wife took the flowers to her home. However, the flowers moved, attacking her whenever she approached them. Gwayangsaeng's wife finally threw them in the fireplace, where they morphed into three orbs. Gwayangsaeng's wife accidentally swallowed the orbs. Soon, she grew pregnant, and delivered three triplets. The triplets were very talented, and when they were fifteen, they were the first, second, and third best in the Gwageo examination. In celebration of their talents, they held a Munjeonje, a ritual to Munshin, the door god. As they bowed before the door, they all fell dead.
Gwayangsaeng's wife constantly plagued the King of Gwayang, Gimchi Wonnim, to go to the Underworld and bring back Yeomra, the god of the dead, so that she may know the cause of their death. Gimchi Wonnim was forced to send one of his generals, Gangnim, to the Underworld. Gagnim had eighteen concubines, but one wife. Gimchi Wonnim asked all his ministers to meet him at dawn. However, Gangnim was drunk from a birthday party for his eighteenth mother-in-law (the mother of his eighteenth concubine), and was late to Gimchi Wonnim's summonings. Using this crime, Gimchi Wonnim sent Gangnim to capture Yeomra.
