Divination

Divination developed from the desire to know and control one's destiny, a desire that has been characteristic of man since time immemorial. There is a mention of divination in Korea as early as the Three Kingdoms period.

During the Silla Kingdom (57B.C.-A.D.935), a specially designated solar officer, or ilgwan, was chosen to divine and report to the king any unusual natural phenomena. During the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392), a similar official was appointed as "the doctor of divination." This official would observe and interpret meteorological phenomena and divine the future of the dynasty and the fortunes of individuals based on his findings. At first, divination was concerned mainly with natural phenomena and important problems of life, but soon, it was extended to encompass the affairs and events of everyday life.

Divination based on natural phenomena foretells the fortunes and misfortunes likely to befall a person through the observation of the sun, the moon, the stars, clouds, rain, the rainbow and the winds. Natural phenomena resulting from the interactions of these elements are thought to have an intimate relationship with human life and, therefore, if interpreted properly, can reveal the future. Each man is believed to have his own star and the stars of heroes, sages and great men are especially large. The brightness of a star or the falling of a star is thought to have a bearing upon the fate of man.

The appearance and disappearance of certain animals, the manner, nature and time of their crying, their behavior - all these are interpreted as signs of what is to come. Cattle, horses, dogs, chickens, cats, magpies, crows, spiders, ants and snakes were all major subjects for observation in ancient Korea.

Plant divination is also based upon the observation of unusual plant phenomena. For example, a tree may dry up, a withered tree may put forth new buds, a flower may unexpectedly blossom or a tree may put forth leaves at an unusual time. All of these phenomena are considered significant with regard to human fate.

Dreams also are believed to foretell the future. According to legends and historical records, good dreams usually signify a happy event such as a promotion, even ascension to the throne, while bad dreams forecast disaster. The vast number of books on dream interpretation, both ancient and modern, is indicative of the interest in this form of divination.

Another method of divination deals with physiognomy and phrenology. The nose, the eyes, the mouth, the ears, the complexion, the hair, the feet, the hands, the voice, the deportment, the surface and hue of the body, the lines on the palms, and birthmarks are believed to reflect future events. Parallel systems of prediction in Western cultures often do not agree with traditional Asian divination.

The results of games are also thought to forecast the future. During the first lunar month, the yunnori game is played in homes, which employs four round-backed, flat-faced sticks. The sticks are thrown into the air and the score depends on how they land, back up or face up. The results of the yunnori game were often used to divine the bounty of farm crops for that year. Players are divided into two sides, the mountain and the plain. If the mountain wins, it means a year of bad crops. If the plain wins, a good harvest is guaranteed. These same beliefs were also carried over in the tug of war game. As mentioned before, a male side and a female side are formed, and the victory of the male side is thought to mean a year of bad crops. If the female side wins, a good harvest is expected.

Eum-yang (yin-yang in Chinese) divination is based on the principles of eum (negative force) and yang (positive force). Through the laws governing the eum-yang interaction, the five elements - metal, wood, water, fire and earth - are produced and destroyed. Tojeong bigyeol, a popular form of fortunetelling, is also based on the eum-yang principle and elements.

At the beginning of the new lunar year, it is customary to calculate one's fortune and future for the next 12 months. This is done by calculating the date and time of birth by the lunar calendar and then matching this in formation in a book called Tojeong bigyeol. This kind of fortunetelling is a popular pastime around New Year's Day. During this season, old men with Tojeong bigyeol books are a common sight around marketplaces or on street corners where people are likely to gather.

Not only older people, but young people as well rely on these various forms of divination. Quite often, students will consult a fortuneteller about examinations, college entrance and other school, business or personal matters.



Geomancy

In Korea, geomancy is a method of divination for locating favorable sites for cities, residences and burial grounds. This belief holds that happiness and prosperity will prevail over a house built on an ideal site. The site of the ancestral grave must be ideal as well, as the location is believed to exert a lasting and decisive influence over the destinies of the entire family.

The basic theory of geomancy stems from the belief that the earth, being the mother, is the producer of all things, and the fever or energy of the earth in each site exercises a decisive influence over those who utilize the land. The theory asserts that where male and female, that is heaven and earth, are in harmony with one another, the inner fever or energy will spring out and the outer energy will ferment, thereby producing wind and water. The Korean word for geomancy is pungsu, literally meaning wind and water.

Geomancy uses landmarks to determine when the earth's energy is stored and flows. The ideal or propitious site (called myeongdang) is a place surrounded by high, rugged mountain ranges to the north flanked by hills folded into many ranges. The range to the east of the ideal site is called the blue dragon, while that to the west is referred to as the white tiger. A building or tomb must face a low hill in the south; the center of the site should command a relatively wide expanse of plain to the front. A river flowing through the plain makes it an even better location.

Such requirements were met precisely by the capital city of Seoul. The location was selected about 600 years ago after much research and consideration by King Taejo, the founder of the Joseon Dynasty. The city is surrounded by mountains; the high, rugged Mt. Bugaksan to the north, Mt. Naksan to the east, Mt. Inwangsan to the west, and Mt. Namsan to the south. Through the basin flow the Han-gang river and the Cheonggyecheon stream, making the site the perfect seat for the government. As it was, the Joseon Dynasty prospered for some 500 years.

If a person or family experiences one misfortune after another, it is attributed to the disadvantageous location of the residence or ancestral tomb. If the site of a village has been well selected, villagers should receive many benefits, including an abundance of filial sons, loyal subjects, and faithful wives. The modern cemetery has frustrated the attempts of urban dwellers to locate the ideal burial ground, but many rural people still are preoccupied with the principles of geomancy, going to great length to find the choice myeongdang.



Folk Medicine

In the ancient times illness was thought to be due to something entering the body, and recovery meant ridding oneself of this contamination. Shamans, usually female, were employed to drive away this evil spirit. The original function of the shaman was not just to drive evil spirits from the body, but to charm away all the spirits that bring unhappiness. The shaman also performed rites invoking the gods' blessings for good fortune, the birth of a male child or a good harvest, etc.

To cure the sick, the shaman made offerings of food and wine, and sometimes even sacrifices of animals, symbolizing the ill person. In return for the offerings, the shaman would request the spirits to leave the body and home of the sick person and never return. Making the entreaty, the shaman would sing, chant, dance and pray.

If this was not effective, a more active and hostile approach was made. The locality of the spirits would be sought out and if found, beaten, shut up in a bottle, floated down the river, buried in the ground or wounded with a sharp knife or stick through a performance that symbolized these actions. These performances, lasting anywhere from an hour to a week, were accompanied by music.

Fortunetellers were often consulted in the treatment of illness. Through divination, it was believed they could determine the causes of the sickness and advise an appropriate treatment. Not only illness, but also misfortune, and calamities of various kinds, were attributed to evil spirits. To protect against these forces, Koreans would often post bujeok, or talismans, at certain places in and around the house such as the gate, the ceiling beam, over the door, and in the barn. Most talismans were painted in red ink on yellow or white mulberry paper. Red has traditionally been thought to possess the power to suppress evil, and for this reason, red beans, red clay, red gowns and other red items are often used in shamanistic rites.

Korean talismans range in style from highly structured, geometric patterns to free-form swirls and doodles. Some consist of a single Chinese ideograph and others incorporate lines of Chinese or Sanskrit into a maze of effigies, figures, star charts and religious symbols. Used not only for exorcising evil spirits, some talismans were also seen as assisting those in need of special help.

The employment of such talismans is an involved process requiring rites of purification, performing chants, painting the talisman, and posting it in the appropriate place. At the beginning of the lunar year, Buddhist monks often prepare talismans and send them to their followers for posting. The beginning of springtime is an important season and, by custom, families usually post a talisman in the hope that spring will bring happiness and harmony to the family.