Chapter 9 Korea 351blue robes seated on a tiger. He is found in most shamans’ altars, and has very
ancient associations. In addition to these figures, the walls of the room were
hung with paintings of the mansin’s personal pantheon: some famous Korean
historical figures (generals, noblemen, scholars), deceased ancestors, and the
shaman who initiated her. There were also statues of three major Buddhist fig-
ures: Yaksa, the Bodhisattva of healing; Shakyamuni, the historical Buddha;
and Kwan’um (Guanyin or Avalokiteshvara). All these figures—deities, spirits,
ancestors—could be contacted and invited into her performance on behalf of
the two failing businessmen.
The ritual (kut) was lengthy and dramatic. The mansin had a number of
young apprentices who performed after the main events, which she controlled,
and in addition to the businessmen-patrons, there were other observers as well.
The first thing that had to happen was purification of the house by expelling
lurking evil spirits, and invoking the roof beam spirit and the foundation spirit.
Two kinds of spirits had to be addressed: pujong (unclean) spirits and kamang
(spirits of illness). The shamaness went into a trance as assistants beat drums
and chanted. While in possession, she negotiated with these spirits and discov-
ered the cause of the businessmen’s troubles: a deceased, blind uncle, who was
bitter about his untimely death and about being ignored by his living nephews.
She mediated a settlement between the angry uncle and the two men: they
A woman shaman (mansin) from 1900 accompanied by assistants on drums as she con-
tacts spirits while in a trance.