ScholarWorks@숙명여자대학교

초록

This study aims to analyze the mythological spatiality and mythological imagination embedded in Simchun Sunrye by Choi Nam-seon, focusing on how these elements contribute to the formation of national identity during the Japanese colonial period. Simchun Sunrye is not merely a travelogue; rather, it serves as a historical and cultural project that reinterprets the mythological origins of Korea by linking Jeonbuk’s natural landscape and historical sites to the foundational narratives of Korean mythology. Choi Nam-seon highlights Mt. Moak and Dosolcheon in Byeonsan as mythological spaces where Bal, representing solar worship and luminous spirituality, converges with Sal, embodying Buddhist reincarnation and vital energy. Furthermore, through his re-reading of Samguk Yusa, Choi establishes Jeonbuk’s historical spatiality by linking it to key figures such as Jinpyo, Choe Chi-won, Wonhyo, and Uisang, thereby emphasizing Jeonbuk as the central stage of national narratives. Additionally, Choi incorporates sites like Barisan, Gomso, Beomseom, and Seondol, connecting them to Dangun mythology, Maitreya beliefs, and Buddhist cosmology, thus solidifying Jeonbuk’s status as the sacred origin of Korean mythology. This study reveals that Choi Nam-seon utilized mythological spatiality as a crucial strategy for shaping national identity, and positions Simchun Sunrye as a significant case of mythological nationalism in colonial discourse.

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