익산 미륵사지 蓮池에서의 祭儀와 동아시아의 水邊祭祀

초록

Among the artifacts discovered from wells and ponds, those that can be interpreted as having been used in magical rituals conducted at the waterside to venerate Dragons or Dragon Kings may be classified into three categories: items related to yongburim, offerings, and objects endowed with magical power. The round, flat, clay or stone discs have been regarded by some as imitations of rice cakes, but it is noteworthy that they may instead have represented imitations of bronze mirrors or symbolic substitutes for bronze coins. The Mireuksa Temple Site in Iksan lies in a valley embraced by the southern foothills of Mt. Mireuk. According to its foundation legend, the site was originally a large pond beneath Yonghwasan that was miraculously filled in overnight to form a flat plain. Excavations have confirmed that the temple was built on wetland terrain, suggesting that it occupied a location suitable for water-related ritual activities. From the temple’s lotus pond, a clay spindle whorl and a wooden comb—an artifact implying magical symbolism connected to hair—were unearthed, indicating the possibility of rituals directed toward a dragon deity. Two wooden documents (mokgan-318 and mokgan-319) excavated from the southern embankment of the western lotus pond are generally dated to the late 7th or early 8th century, the Unified Silla period. The ink inscriptions on mokgan-318 show that the writing direction of side I differs from that of the other sides, a feature often observed in the documents created with magical intent. If the first character on side I is read as ‘夫’, it may represent a graphically symbolized form of ‘奉’. The second character possibly functions as a talismanic mark similar to ‘幽’. It is also significant that these documents were found together with the skeletal remains of two individuals—suggesting a case of human sacrifice offered to a dragon. It appears that the temple absorbed preexisting dragon veneration rituals once performed at local wells and ponds. The involvement of Buddhist temples in waterside rituals and the notion of human offerings made in dedication to dragons are also attested in Japan. The idea of yongburim—provoking the dragon dwelling in a pond to bring rain—emerged in China during the Northern and Southern Dynasties and appears to have influenced the Korean Peninsula. Traces of comparable rituals conducted at wells and ponds are likewise observed at Baekje sites, indicating a ritual continuum extending from Baekje to Silla and Japan. Literary sources further attest that such magical techniques were transmitted from Baekje to Japan along with Buddhism.

키워드