Dokkaebi

Dokkaebi
Dokkaebi
Hangul 도깨비
Revised Romanization dokkaebi
McCune–Reischauer tokaebi

Dokkaebi is a common word for a type of spirit in Korean folklore or fairy tales.

The Dokkaebi is a mythical being that appears in many old Korean folktales. Although usually frightening, it could also represent a humorous, grotesque-looking sprite or goblin. These creatures loved mischief and playing mean tricks on bad people and they rewarded good people with wealth and blessings. Dokkaebi are described as the transformed spirits of inanimate objects.

They are different from ghosts (귀신) in that they are not formed by the death of a human being, but rather by the transformation of an inanimate object.

Contents

Characteristics

Different versions of the Korean Dokkaebi mythology assign different attributes to them. In some cases they are considered harmless but nevertheless mischievous, usually playing pranks on people or challenging wayward travellers for a ssireum (Korean wrestling) match for the right to pass.

Most Dokkaebi to carry a kind of club or mallet called a dokkaebi bangmang'i (도깨비 방망이). They are like magic wands, from which it can summon anything it wants. Unfortunately, when it gets something by using it, it gets things by "stealing" from someone else, because this bangmang'i can only summon existing things, and it doesn't create objects out of thin air.

Dokkaebi love to play games, especially ssireum as mentioned above. They are extremely good at it and one will never be able to beat them by trying to push them from the left side. However, they are very weak on the right side. In other stories one should hook their leg and push them to win, as they have only one leg.

Dokkaebi can also have a cap which is called dokkaebi gamtu (도깨비 감투). Its most well-known ability is that it gives the wearer invisibility.

Legends

Most Korean legends have Dokkaebi in the stories. They are about Dokkaebi pranking on mortals or punishing them because of their evil deeds. One of them is about an old man who lived alone in a mountain when a Dokkaebi visited his house. With surprise, the kind old man gave the Dokkaebi an alcoholic beverage and they become friends. The Dokkaebi visited the old man often and they had long conversations together, but one day, the man took a walk by himself in the woods near the river and discovered that his reflection looked like the Dokkaebi. With fear, he realized that he was gradually becoming that creature. The man made a plan to prevent himself from becoming a Dokkaebi and invited the creature to his house. He asked, "What are you most afraid of?" and the Dokkaebi answered, "I'm afraid of blood. What are you afraid of?". The man pretended to be frightened and said, "I'm afraid of money. That's why I live in the mountains by myself." The next day, the old man killed a cow and poured its blood all over his house. The Dokkaebi, with shock and great anger, ran away and said, "I'll be back with your greatest fear!" The next day, the Dokkaebi brought bags of money and threw it to the old man. After that, Dokkaebi never came back and the old man became the richest person in the town.

See also

External links

Pa-in Society of Korean Cultural Studies (파인민화연구소) http://www.minwha.co.kr/menu/dokkebi/main.php (Korean)


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Dokkaebi — Koreanische Schreibweise koreanisches Alphabet: 도깨비 Revidierte Romanisierung: Dokkaebi McCune Reischauer: Tokkaebi Der Dokkaebi ist ein Fabelwesen aus der koreanischen Märchen und Mythenwelt. Es handelt sich um einen menschenähnlichen (bisweilen… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Tokkaebi — Koreanische Schreibweise Hangeul: 도깨비 Revidiert: dokkaebi McCune R.: tokkaebi Der Dokkaebi ist ein Fabelwesen aus der koreanischen Märchen und Mythenwelt. Es handelt sich um einen menschenähnlichen (bisweilen einäugigen) Kobold oder Waldschrat… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Korean mythology — Infobox Korean name caption=Moon goddess of Goguryeo hangul=한국의 신화 hanja=韓國의 神話 rr=Hangukui sinhwa mr=Hankukŭi sinhwa|Korean mythology consists of national legends and folk tales which come from all over the Korean Peninsula.The original religion …   Wikipedia

  • Changgyeonggung — Korean name Hangul 창경궁 …   Wikipedia

  • The Bird That Drinks Tears — infobox Book | name = The Bird That Drinks Tears( 눈물을 마시는 새 ) title orig = translator = image caption = Cover design for the 4th volume of The Bird That Drinks Tears author = Lee Yeongdo illustrator = cover artist = country = South Korea language …   Wikipedia

  • Dokkebi (The Bird Series) — Dokkaebis in the novel are hinted from the elf like being often told in Korean traditional forktale and fairy tales. So they contain the nature from the original Dokkaebi characteristics. very mischievous, likes to play riddles and games, etc.… …   Wikipedia

  • Ethereal being — Water nymph by John Collier, 1923. Ethereal beings, according to some belief systems and occult theories, are mystic entities that usually are not made of ordinary matter. Despite the fact that they are believed to be essentially incorporeal,… …   Wikipedia

  • Yōkai — Part of the series on Japanese Mythology Folklore …   Wikipedia

  • Mythic humanoids — are mythic creatures that are human like or half human. Contents 1 Elves, fairies, nymphs, little people, and house spirits 2 Part human 3 Monstrous humanoids and goblins 4 …   Wikipedia

  • Hwanghak-dong Flea Market — Infobox Korean name caption= hangul= 황학동 벼룩시장 hanja=linktext|黃|鶴|洞 linktext|隱|翅linktext|市|場 rr= Hwanghak dong byeoruk sijang mr= Hwanghak tong byoruk sichangHwanghak dong Flea Market is a market located in the neighborhood of Hwanghak dong, Jung… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”