Jungnyeong Sansindang Hall, Danyang

A sansindang is a shrine dedicated to the sansin, the mountain spirit of Korea's indigenous folk belief, serving to protect villages and temples. Located halfway up a mountain in Yongbuwon-ri village, this shrine enshrines a spirit tablet inscribed "Jungnyeong Sansin Jiwi" (Seat of the Mountain Spirit of Jungnyeong). As the shrine for the mountain spirit of Jungnyeong, it enshrines a deity that villagers call "Granny Dajagu," and the building is accordingly also known as "Dajagu Halmeoni-dang" (Granny Dajagu's Shrine). The following story explains how Granny Dajagu came to be venerated as the mountain spirit of Jungnyeong. Long ago, bandits appeared here day and night to torment the people, and because the mountain was so rugged, even government troops found it difficult to subdue them. At this time, an old woman appeared and devised a plan with the government troops: she would enter the bandits' den, and if she called out "Dajagu-ya," it meant the bandits were asleep, while "Deoljagu-ya" meant they were still awake. On the night of the bandit chief's birthday, once all the bandits had fallen into a drunken sleep, the old woman cried out "Dajagu-ya," and on hearing this the government troops were able to wipe out the bandits entirely. The state had a shrine built to honour the old woman's achievement and ordered that rites be held there. At first the state performed the rites in spring and autumn; during the Joseon period, a shrine called Jungnyeongsa was built and the authorities conducted the rites directly, but today the rites have been greatly reduced in scale, and the village now holds a rite each March and September to pray for the village's good fortune. The exact date the shrine was first built is unknown, and it was rebuilt with donations from local residents on 8 March 1948. Although the scale of the rites has diminished, deep faith in the Jungnyeong Sansindang still endures among local residents today.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Danyang, Chungbuk

Designation

Provincial Folklore Heritage · 시도민속문화유산