{"content_id":"8jcslhhdf8","slug":"seongjusin-anseong-hahu-wang-folk-tale","locale":"en","schema_type":"Article","category":"story","category_name":"Tales","title":"Anseong Seongju-gut: Hahuwangssi and His Wife","summary":"The Hwangje-puri in Anseong's “Seongju-gut (1)” tells how Hahuwangssi and his wife became guardian deities of the house and its site. The story is retold with a focus on the wife's decisions and actions, while other traditions and ritual records from southern Gyeonggi are explained separately.","sponsorship_disclosure":null,"affiliate_disclosure":null,"commerce_disclosure":null,"author":{"name":"Injoys Editorial Team","url":"https://injoys.com/ko/about"},"key_points":["The retelling is based on “Seongju-gut (1),” narrated by Song Gi-cheol in Anseong on October 10, 1981.","Hahuwangssi forgets his wife's instructions and swaps clothes with Sojinyang.","His wife sees through the man posing as her husband, uses her wits to buy time, and leaves clues to help them reunite.","In the version recorded in Anseong, the couple become Seongju and Teojumanura.","The encyclopedia's references to Hwanguyang and Jisin in its account of southern Gyeonggi traditions must be kept distinct from the Anseong record."],"content_markdown":"Seongjusin is the deity who protects the home in traditional beliefs about household gods. “Seongjugut(1),” recorded in Anseong in 1981, tells the story of Hahuwangssi and his wife. This article retells the traditional story of how the couple became the guardian deities of the house and its grounds.\n\nThis article follows the Hwangjepuri section of “Seongjugut(1)” and was compiled as of November 2026.\n\n## The Story\n\nThe conflict in the story of Hahuwangssi and his wife begins with a mistake the husband makes after leaving to build a house. The retelling below follows the events in the Anseong record. Descriptions of threats and bodily mutilation have been omitted.\n\n### Building Tools and His Wife’s Warning\n\nHahuwangssi had a talent for building houses from an early age. His skill showed even when he played at carving wood and piling up earth. One day, he received a summons to come and build a house in Hwangsantteul.\n\nHe needed to leave, but he had no tools for building a house. His wife helped her worried husband prepare for the journey. She embroidered cranes and dragons on the clothes she made for him herself.\n\nAt last, metalworkers arrived and made the tools. With a chisel and saw packed, he was ready to leave. His wife warned him not to answer anyone who spoke to him along the way.\n\n### Sojinyang Exchanges Clothes with Him\n\nHahuwangssi was taken in by the words of Sojinyang, whom he met on the road. His wife’s warning was soon forgotten. The two exchanged clothes, and Sojinyang headed for Hahuwangssi’s home.\n\nHis wife, who had remained at home, heard the sound of bells as someone returned. But she did not immediately accept the person outside the door as her husband. Keeping the door shut, she first asked him to hand over the clothes he was wearing.\n\nThe stitching on the clothes was unmistakably her own. But the smell clinging to them was not her husband’s. She realized that someone else had come wearing her husband’s clothes.\n\n### His Wife Buys Time and Leaves a Clue\n\nHis wife bought time to avoid doing what Sojinyang wanted. First, she cited the need to hold a memorial rite for her parents. Then she said that lengthy preparations were needed to rid her of a ghost attached to her body.\n\nSojinyang believed her and devoted himself to those preparations. Even after moving to Sojintteul, she continued her ruse. Outwardly, she acted as though she were obeying him.\n\nShe also left a clue so that her husband could find her. On clothes she hid at home, she wrote a message telling him to meet her at the well beside a tree in Sojintteul. Her waiting was also a way of making sure her husband could reach her.\n\n### Reunion and Becoming Guardian Deities\n\nHahuwangssi returned home after having an ominous dream. The house was empty, and his wife was nowhere to be seen. He searched for traces she might have left.\n\nFollowing another clue from a dream, he discovered the hidden clothes. The writing on them pointed to the place where his wife was waiting. Hahuwangssi set out for Sojintteul and was finally reunited with her.\n\nThe story ends with the couple becoming deities. Hahuwangssi becomes Seongju. His wife is said to have become Teojumanura, the guardian of the house grounds.\n\n## The Source Text and Its Origins\n\nThis retelling is based on “Seongjugut(1)” in the *Comprehensive Collection of Korean Oral Literature*. The opening part of this record contains the Hwangjepuri, which recounts the couple’s history. The transcript can be read on the Korean Studies Data Integration Platform’s [“Seongjugut(1)” record page](https://kdp.aks.ac.kr/inde/gubi?id=POKS.GUBI.GUBI.1_0106_0047).\n\n| Item | Documented information |\n|---|---|\n| Title | “Seongjugut(1),” *Comprehensive Collection of Korean Oral Literature* |\n| Type of material | A shamanic song, sung during a shamanic ritual |\n| Scope of the retelling | The Hwangjepuri section recounting the history of Hahuwangssi and his wife |\n| Date recorded | October 10, 1981 |\n| Recording location | Anseong-eup, Anseong-gun, Gyeonggi-do, as it was then |\n| Performer | Song Gi-cheol |\n| Researchers | Jo Hui-ung and Lee Geun-yong |\n\nThis material records an oral tradition of unknown authorship. Song Gi-cheol was the performer who sang the story when it was recorded. The researchers documented and explained that performance.\n\nThe recording date is not the date when the story first came into being. In this article, Anseong likewise refers to the area where the tradition and its recording are documented. The record cannot be taken as evidence of a place where a deity actually appeared.\n\n### The Difference Between Seongjugut and Seongjupuri\n\nSeongjugut is a ritual, while Seongjupuri is a shamanic song that recounts Seongju’s history. Shamanic songs are songs sung during shamanic rituals. Those that tell stories of events and characters are called narrative shamanic songs.\n\n| Term | What it refers to in this article |\n|---|---|\n| Seongjugut | A ritual performed for the household gods |\n| Seongjupuri | A shamanic song explaining Seongju’s history |\n| Hwangjepuri | The section of the source record recounting the history of Hahuwangssi and his wife |\n\nThe research notes explain that this Seongjugut was a ritual for several household gods. The couple’s story in the Hwangjepuri is therefore not the same as the ritual as a whole. In the transcript, songs about housebuilding follow the couple’s history.\n\n## Other Versions and Similar Stories\n\nThe Anseong record and other traditions from southern Gyeonggi differ in character names and details of the ending. The [“Seongjupuri” entry](https://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Article/E0029609) in the *Encyclopedia of Korean Culture* describes the southern Gyeonggi tradition separately. The table below distinguishes that account from the source used for this article.\n\n| Point of comparison | Anseong “Seongjugut(1)” | The encyclopedia’s account of the southern Gyeonggi tradition |\n|---|---|---|\n| Husband’s name | Hahuwangssi | Hwanguyang |\n| Person who impersonates the husband | Sojinyang | Sojinrang |\n| Wife’s response | Recognizes the impostor, buys time, and leaves a clue | Recognizes the impostor, postpones the wedding, and waits |\n| Deity the husband becomes | Seongju | Seongju |\n| Deity the wife becomes | Teojumanura | Jisin |\n| Events around the reunion | Moves from the couple’s reunion to their becoming deities | Includes scenes of transformation into a bird and punishment of the opponent |\n\nThe plot of Seongjupuri varies depending on which tradition is used as the basis. The encyclopedia’s story of Hwanguyang should not be added to Hahuwangssi’s story as though filling in gaps. In particular, transferring the transformation and punishment to the ending of the Anseong record would mix sources.\n\nDongnae in Busan and Andong in Gyeongbuk also have traditions recounting Seongju’s history. These likewise connect housebuilding with the deity’s origins, but the events differ. The same title does not mean the same story in every region.\n\n## Folk Beliefs in the Story\n\nThe ending of this story is connected to beliefs in household gods who protect the house and its grounds. Household gods are deities believed to oversee the spaces and domestic life of a home. The couple’s transformation into Seongju and Teojumanura explains the origins of these beliefs.\n\n### The Roles of the Seongjutdae, Baekseolgi, and Main Beam\n\nThe research notes describe both spaces in the house and ritual objects. Baekseolgi is recorded as food placed on the ritual table. The main beam served as a place to hang cloth and perform ritual movements.\n\n| Element | Use documented in the research notes for “Seongjugut(1)” |\n|---|---|\n| Seongjutdae | A ritual object erected and then fitted with decorations cut from clean window paper |\n| Baekseolgi | Rice cakes prepared for the ritual and placed on the ritual table |\n| Main beam | The place where cloth called tokkeut was hung and pulled |\n| Kitchen, inner room, main hall, and entrance area | Spaces in the house linked by a long stretch of full-width cotton cloth |\n\nIn this record, the structure of the house itself is used in the ritual. The housebuilding in the story is also connected to the deity’s history. This can be interpreted as a connection between building a house and beliefs about caring for the household.\n\nThis explanation concerns the ritual documented in that particular study. It does not mean that Seongjugut in every region used the same arrangements and sequence. Nor does it prove that performing the ritual produces any particular effect.\n\n### The Wife’s Judgment and the Taboo Against Speaking\n\nThe wife’s judgment is central to resolving the conflict in this story. She distinguishes between her husband’s clothes and her husband himself. She then makes their reunion possible through her tactics for buying time and the clue she leaves for him.\n\nThe warning not to answer anyone on the road functions as a taboo within the story. The exchange of clothes takes place after Hahuwangssi breaks it. Here, the taboo is not a rule for people to follow in their lives today.\n\nThe wife is not portrayed as someone who merely waits to be rescued. She judges the situation for herself and continues to respond. This sequence of events reveals the wisdom that makes the couple’s reunion possible.\n\n## Frequently Asked Questions\n\n### Did this really happen?\n\nThis is an oral narrative reflecting traditional beliefs, not a story verified as an actual event. What the records confirm is that it was performed and recorded. The ending in which the couple become deities belongs to the tale.\n\n### Where can I read the source text?\n\nYou can read “Seongjugut(1)” from the *Comprehensive Collection of Korean Oral Literature* on the Korean Studies Data Integration Platform. Check the title along with the performer, Song Gi-cheol, and the recording date, October 10, 1981. The page includes both the research notes and the transcript.\n\n### What does this story mean?\n\nIt explains how the deities who protect the house and its grounds came into being. Housebuilding and the couple’s separation and reunion lead into the deities’ history. The story can also be read with a focus on the wife’s judgment and responses.\n\n### Are Hahuwangssi and Hwanguyang the same name?\n\nThe Anseong source uses Hahuwangssi, while the encyclopedia’s account of the southern Gyeonggi tradition uses Hwanguyang. The two names refer to the husband in stories with similar event structures. However, the names should not be used interchangeably while also combining details from their different plots.\n\n### What deity does the wife become?\n\nIn Anseong’s “Seongjugut(1),” she becomes Teojumanura. In the southern Gyeonggi tradition described by the encyclopedia, she appears as Jisin. This retelling follows the name used in the Anseong record.\n\n### Was the story created in 1981?\n\nOctober 10, 1981 is the date when the source material was recorded. It is not the date when the story was created or when its transmission began. The material examined does not establish when it first took shape.\n\n### Are the objects used in Seongjugut props in the story?\n\nThe uses of the Seongjutdae, baekseolgi, and other items are recorded in the researcher’s description of the ritual. Within the source, these are separate from the events experienced by Hahuwangssi and his wife. The story’s plot and the actual field record of the ritual should be read separately.","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eSeongjusin is the deity who protects the home in traditional beliefs about household gods. “Seongjugut(1),” recorded in Anseong in 1981, tells the story of Hahuwangssi and his wife. This article retells the traditional story of how the couple became the guardian deities of the house and its grounds.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis article follows the Hwangjepuri section of “Seongjugut(1)” and was compiled as of November 2026.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#the-story\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"the-story\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eThe Story\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe conflict in the story of Hahuwangssi and his wife begins with a mistake the husband makes after leaving to build a house. The retelling below follows the events in the Anseong record. Descriptions of threats and bodily mutilation have been omitted.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#building-tools-and-his-wifes-warning\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"building-tools-and-his-wifes-warning\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eBuilding Tools and His Wife’s Warning\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHahuwangssi had a talent for building houses from an early age. His skill showed even when he played at carving wood and piling up earth. One day, he received a summons to come and build a house in Hwangsantteul.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe needed to leave, but he had no tools for building a house. His wife helped her worried husband prepare for the journey. She embroidered cranes and dragons on the clothes she made for him herself.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt last, metalworkers arrived and made the tools. With a chisel and saw packed, he was ready to leave. His wife warned him not to answer anyone who spoke to him along the way.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#sojinyang-exchanges-clothes-with-him\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"sojinyang-exchanges-clothes-with-him\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eSojinyang Exchanges Clothes with Him\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHahuwangssi was taken in by the words of Sojinyang, whom he met on the road. His wife’s warning was soon forgotten. The two exchanged clothes, and Sojinyang headed for Hahuwangssi’s home.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis wife, who had remained at home, heard the sound of bells as someone returned. But she did not immediately accept the person outside the door as her husband. Keeping the door shut, she first asked him to hand over the clothes he was wearing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe stitching on the clothes was unmistakably her own. But the smell clinging to them was not her husband’s. She realized that someone else had come wearing her husband’s clothes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#his-wife-buys-time-and-leaves-a-clue\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"his-wife-buys-time-and-leaves-a-clue\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eHis Wife Buys Time and Leaves a Clue\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis wife bought time to avoid doing what Sojinyang wanted. First, she cited the need to hold a memorial rite for her parents. Then she said that lengthy preparations were needed to rid her of a ghost attached to her body.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSojinyang believed her and devoted himself to those preparations. Even after moving to Sojintteul, she continued her ruse. Outwardly, she acted as though she were obeying him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe also left a clue so that her husband could find her. On clothes she hid at home, she wrote a message telling him to meet her at the well beside a tree in Sojintteul. Her waiting was also a way of making sure her husband could reach her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#reunion-and-becoming-guardian-deities\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"reunion-and-becoming-guardian-deities\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eReunion and Becoming Guardian Deities\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHahuwangssi returned home after having an ominous dream. The house was empty, and his wife was nowhere to be seen. He searched for traces she might have left.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFollowing another clue from a dream, he discovered the hidden clothes. The writing on them pointed to the place where his wife was waiting. Hahuwangssi set out for Sojintteul and was finally reunited with her.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe story ends with the couple becoming deities. Hahuwangssi becomes Seongju. His wife is said to have become Teojumanura, the guardian of the house grounds.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#the-source-text-and-its-origins\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"the-source-text-and-its-origins\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eThe Source Text and Its Origins\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis retelling is based on “Seongjugut(1)” in the \u003cem\u003eComprehensive Collection of Korean Oral Literature\u003c/em\u003e. The opening part of this record contains the Hwangjepuri, which recounts the couple’s history. The transcript can be read on the Korean Studies Data Integration Platform’s \u003ca href=\"https://kdp.aks.ac.kr/inde/gubi?id=POKS.GUBI.GUBI.1_0106_0047\"\u003e“Seongjugut(1)” record page\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"overflow-x-auto\"\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eItem\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDocumented information\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Item\"\u003eTitle\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Documented information\"\u003e“Seongjugut(1),” \u003cem\u003eComprehensive Collection of Korean Oral Literature\u003c/em\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Item\"\u003eType of material\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Documented information\"\u003eA shamanic song, sung during a shamanic ritual\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Item\"\u003eScope of the retelling\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Documented information\"\u003eThe Hwangjepuri section recounting the history of Hahuwangssi and his wife\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Item\"\u003eDate recorded\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Documented information\"\u003eOctober 10, 1981\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Item\"\u003eRecording location\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Documented information\"\u003eAnseong-eup, Anseong-gun, Gyeonggi-do, as it was then\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Item\"\u003ePerformer\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Documented information\"\u003eSong Gi-cheol\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Item\"\u003eResearchers\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Documented information\"\u003eJo Hui-ung and Lee Geun-yong\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis material records an oral tradition of unknown authorship. Song Gi-cheol was the performer who sang the story when it was recorded. The researchers documented and explained that performance.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe recording date is not the date when the story first came into being. In this article, Anseong likewise refers to the area where the tradition and its recording are documented. The record cannot be taken as evidence of a place where a deity actually appeared.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#the-difference-between-seongjugut-and-seongjupuri\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"the-difference-between-seongjugut-and-seongjupuri\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eThe Difference Between Seongjugut and Seongjupuri\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeongjugut is a ritual, while Seongjupuri is a shamanic song that recounts Seongju’s history. Shamanic songs are songs sung during shamanic rituals. Those that tell stories of events and characters are called narrative shamanic songs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"overflow-x-auto\"\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eTerm\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWhat it refers to in this article\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Term\"\u003eSeongjugut\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"What it refers to in this article\"\u003eA ritual performed for the household gods\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Term\"\u003eSeongjupuri\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"What it refers to in this article\"\u003eA shamanic song explaining Seongju’s history\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Term\"\u003eHwangjepuri\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"What it refers to in this article\"\u003eThe section of the source record recounting the history of Hahuwangssi and his wife\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe research notes explain that this Seongjugut was a ritual for several household gods. The couple’s story in the Hwangjepuri is therefore not the same as the ritual as a whole. In the transcript, songs about housebuilding follow the couple’s history.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#other-versions-and-similar-stories\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"other-versions-and-similar-stories\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eOther Versions and Similar Stories\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Anseong record and other traditions from southern Gyeonggi differ in character names and details of the ending. The \u003ca href=\"https://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Article/E0029609\"\u003e“Seongjupuri” entry\u003c/a\u003e in the \u003cem\u003eEncyclopedia of Korean Culture\u003c/em\u003e describes the southern Gyeonggi tradition separately. The table below distinguishes that account from the source used for this article.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"overflow-x-auto\"\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePoint of comparison\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eAnseong “Seongjugut(1)”\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eThe encyclopedia’s account of the southern Gyeonggi tradition\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Point of comparison\"\u003eHusband’s name\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Anseong “Seongjugut(1)”\"\u003eHahuwangssi\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"The encyclopedia’s account of the southern Gyeonggi tradition\"\u003eHwanguyang\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Point of comparison\"\u003ePerson who impersonates the husband\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Anseong “Seongjugut(1)”\"\u003eSojinyang\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"The encyclopedia’s account of the southern Gyeonggi tradition\"\u003eSojinrang\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Point of comparison\"\u003eWife’s response\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Anseong “Seongjugut(1)”\"\u003eRecognizes the impostor, buys time, and leaves a clue\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"The encyclopedia’s account of the southern Gyeonggi tradition\"\u003eRecognizes the impostor, postpones the wedding, and waits\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Point of comparison\"\u003eDeity the husband becomes\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Anseong “Seongjugut(1)”\"\u003eSeongju\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"The encyclopedia’s account of the southern Gyeonggi tradition\"\u003eSeongju\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Point of comparison\"\u003eDeity the wife becomes\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Anseong “Seongjugut(1)”\"\u003eTeojumanura\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"The encyclopedia’s account of the southern Gyeonggi tradition\"\u003eJisin\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Point of comparison\"\u003eEvents around the reunion\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Anseong “Seongjugut(1)”\"\u003eMoves from the couple’s reunion to their becoming deities\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"The encyclopedia’s account of the southern Gyeonggi tradition\"\u003eIncludes scenes of transformation into a bird and punishment of the opponent\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe plot of Seongjupuri varies depending on which tradition is used as the basis. The encyclopedia’s story of Hwanguyang should not be added to Hahuwangssi’s story as though filling in gaps. In particular, transferring the transformation and punishment to the ending of the Anseong record would mix sources.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDongnae in Busan and Andong in Gyeongbuk also have traditions recounting Seongju’s history. These likewise connect housebuilding with the deity’s origins, but the events differ. The same title does not mean the same story in every region.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#folk-beliefs-in-the-story\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"folk-beliefs-in-the-story\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eFolk Beliefs in the Story\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe ending of this story is connected to beliefs in household gods who protect the house and its grounds. Household gods are deities believed to oversee the spaces and domestic life of a home. The couple’s transformation into Seongju and Teojumanura explains the origins of these beliefs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#the-roles-of-the-seongjutdae-baekseolgi-and-main-beam\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"the-roles-of-the-seongjutdae-baekseolgi-and-main-beam\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eThe Roles of the Seongjutdae, Baekseolgi, and Main Beam\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe research notes describe both spaces in the house and ritual objects. Baekseolgi is recorded as food placed on the ritual table. The main beam served as a place to hang cloth and perform ritual movements.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"overflow-x-auto\"\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eElement\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eUse documented in the research notes for “Seongjugut(1)”\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Element\"\u003eSeongjutdae\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Use documented in the research notes for “Seongjugut(1)”\"\u003eA ritual object erected and then fitted with decorations cut from clean window paper\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Element\"\u003eBaekseolgi\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Use documented in the research notes for “Seongjugut(1)”\"\u003eRice cakes prepared for the ritual and placed on the ritual table\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Element\"\u003eMain beam\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Use documented in the research notes for “Seongjugut(1)”\"\u003eThe place where cloth called tokkeut was hung and pulled\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Element\"\u003eKitchen, inner room, main hall, and entrance area\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Use documented in the research notes for “Seongjugut(1)”\"\u003eSpaces in the house linked by a long stretch of full-width cotton cloth\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this record, the structure of the house itself is used in the ritual. The housebuilding in the story is also connected to the deity’s history. This can be interpreted as a connection between building a house and beliefs about caring for the household.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis explanation concerns the ritual documented in that particular study. It does not mean that Seongjugut in every region used the same arrangements and sequence. Nor does it prove that performing the ritual produces any particular effect.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#the-wifes-judgment-and-the-taboo-against-speaking\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"the-wifes-judgment-and-the-taboo-against-speaking\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eThe Wife’s Judgment and the Taboo Against Speaking\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe wife’s judgment is central to resolving the conflict in this story. She distinguishes between her husband’s clothes and her husband himself. She then makes their reunion possible through her tactics for buying time and the clue she leaves for him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe warning not to answer anyone on the road functions as a taboo within the story. The exchange of clothes takes place after Hahuwangssi breaks it. Here, the taboo is not a rule for people to follow in their lives today.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe wife is not portrayed as someone who merely waits to be rescued. She judges the situation for herself and continues to respond. This sequence of events reveals the wisdom that makes the couple’s reunion possible.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#frequently-asked-questions\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"frequently-asked-questions\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#did-this-really-happen\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"did-this-really-happen\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eDid this really happen?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is an oral narrative reflecting traditional beliefs, not a story verified as an actual event. What the records confirm is that it was performed and recorded. The ending in which the couple become deities belongs to the tale.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#where-can-i-read-the-source-text\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"where-can-i-read-the-source-text\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eWhere can I read the source text?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can read “Seongjugut(1)” from the \u003cem\u003eComprehensive Collection of Korean Oral Literature\u003c/em\u003e on the Korean Studies Data Integration Platform. Check the title along with the performer, Song Gi-cheol, and the recording date, October 10, 1981. The page includes both the research notes and the transcript.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#what-does-this-story-mean\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"what-does-this-story-mean\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eWhat does this story mean?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt explains how the deities who protect the house and its grounds came into being. Housebuilding and the couple’s separation and reunion lead into the deities’ history. The story can also be read with a focus on the wife’s judgment and responses.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#are-hahuwangssi-and-hwanguyang-the-same-name\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"are-hahuwangssi-and-hwanguyang-the-same-name\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eAre Hahuwangssi and Hwanguyang the same name?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Anseong source uses Hahuwangssi, while the encyclopedia’s account of the southern Gyeonggi tradition uses Hwanguyang. The two names refer to the husband in stories with similar event structures. However, the names should not be used interchangeably while also combining details from their different plots.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#what-deity-does-the-wife-become\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"what-deity-does-the-wife-become\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eWhat deity does the wife become?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Anseong’s “Seongjugut(1),” she becomes Teojumanura. In the southern Gyeonggi tradition described by the encyclopedia, she appears as Jisin. This retelling follows the name used in the Anseong record.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#was-the-story-created-in-1981\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"was-the-story-created-in-1981\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eWas the story created in 1981?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOctober 10, 1981 is the date when the source material was recorded. It is not the date when the story was created or when its transmission began. The material examined does not establish when it first took shape.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#are-the-objects-used-in-seongjugut-props-in-the-story\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"are-the-objects-used-in-seongjugut-props-in-the-story\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eAre the objects used in Seongjugut props in the story?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe uses of the Seongjutdae, baekseolgi, and other items are recorded in the researcher’s description of the ritual. Within the source, these are separate from the events experienced by Hahuwangssi and his wife. The story’s plot and the actual field record of the ritual should be read separately.\u003c/p\u003e\n","tags":["Cultural heritage","Folktales"],"faqs":[{"question":"Did this really happen?","answer":"It is an oral narrative reflecting traditional beliefs, not an account confirmed to be based on actual events. What the records confirm is that the story was told and recorded. The ending in which the couple become deities is part of the folktale."},{"question":"Where can I read the original source?","answer":"You can read “Seongjugut(1)” from the Comprehensive Collection of Korean Oral Literature on the Integrated Platform for Korean Studies Materials. Check the title along with the storyteller, Song Gi-cheol, and the recording date, October 10, 1981. The page includes both the research notes and the transcript."},{"question":"What does this story mean?","answer":"It explains how the deities who protect the house and its grounds came into being. The building of a house and the couple's separation and reunion lead into the account of the deities' origins. The story can also be read with a focus on the wife's judgment and responses."},{"question":"Are Hahuwangssi and Hwang U-yang the same name?","answer":"The reference version from Anseong calls him Hahuwangssi, while the encyclopedia's account of the tradition in southern Gyeonggi calls him Hwang U-yang. The two names refer to the husband in stories with similar plot structures. However, the names should not be used interchangeably to combine details from different versions of the story."},{"question":"What deity does the wife become?","answer":"In “Seongjugut(1)” from Anseong, she becomes Teojumanura. In the tradition from southern Gyeonggi described in the encyclopedia, she appears as Jisin. The retelling in this article follows the name used in the version recorded in Anseong."},{"question":"Was this story created in 1981?","answer":"October 10, 1981, is the date the reference material was recorded. It is not the date the story was created or when its transmission began. The sources examined do not establish when the story first took shape."},{"question":"Are the objects used in Seongjugut props in the story?","answer":"The uses of the Seongju pole, white steamed rice cakes, and other items are recorded in the researcher's description of the ritual. Within the source, these are distinguished from the events experienced by Hahuwangssi and his wife. The story's plot and the actual field records of the ritual should be read separately."}],"sources":[{"url":"https://kdp.aks.ac.kr/inde/gubi?id=POKS.GUBI.GUBI.1_0106_0047","title":"Academy of Korean Studies, Korean Studies Resources Integrated Platform, Comprehensive Collection of Korean Oral Literature, “Seongju Gut (1)”","type":"source"},{"url":"https://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Article/E0029609","title":"Academy of Korean Studies, Encyclopedia of Korean Culture, “Seongju Puri”","type":"source"}],"images":[{"id":2668,"url":"https://injoys.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/proxy/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NDEwNzksInB1ciI6ImJsb2JfaWQifX0=--54af56c311efb280aa170245f9cd4e81b3f66c66/ai-e4aed0fe.webp","is_representative":true,"generation_method":"ai_image","license":"ai_generated","mime_type":"image/webp","width":1536,"height":1024,"translations":{"ko":{"alt":"등잔불 아래 여인이 학과 용이 수놓인 옷을 살피고, 닫힌 격자문 너머로 희미한 인영이 서 있다.","caption":"부인은 가짜 남편을 알아보고 꾀로 시간을 번다.","description":null},"en":{"alt":"A woman examines a crane-and-dragon robe by lamplight as a shadowy figure waits beyond a closed lattice door.","caption":"The wife recognizes the false husband and uses her wits to buy time.","description":null},"ja":{"alt":"灯火の下で女性が鶴と龍の刺繍がある衣を調べ、閉じた格子戸の向こうにはぼんやりと人影が立っている。","caption":"妻は偽の夫を見抜き、機転を利かせて時間を稼ぐ。","description":null},"es":{"alt":"Una mujer examina una túnica con grullas y dragones junto a un candil; una silueta espera tras la puerta de celosía.","caption":"La esposa reconoce al falso marido y recurre al ingenio para ganar tiempo.","description":null},"id":{"alt":"Seorang perempuan memeriksa jubah bermotif bangau dan naga di dekat pelita; sosok samar menanti di balik pintu berkisi.","caption":"Sang istri mengenali suami palsu dan menggunakan kecerdikannya untuk mengulur waktu.","description":null},"pt":{"alt":"Uma mulher examina um manto com grous e dragões à luz de um lampião; uma silhueta aguarda atrás da porta de treliça.","caption":"A esposa reconhece o falso marido e usa a astúcia para ganhar tempo.","description":null},"zh-hant":{"alt":"女子在油燈下細察繡有仙鶴與龍的衣袍，緊閉的格子門外隱約站著一道人影。","caption":"妻子識破假丈夫，運用機智爭取時間。","description":null},"de":{"alt":"Eine Frau prüft im Lampenlicht ein Gewand mit Kranichen und Drachen; hinter der Gittertür wartet eine Gestalt.","caption":"Die Ehefrau erkennt den falschen Ehemann und gewinnt durch ihre Klugheit Zeit.","description":null}}},{"id":2669,"url":"https://injoys.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/proxy/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NDEwODUsInB1ciI6ImJsb2JfaWQifX0=--022d3ae7e42fb5165b5ac598b5a60a96a830d175/ai-b5e2becf.webp","is_representative":false,"generation_method":"ai_image","license":"ai_generated","mime_type":"image/webp","width":1536,"height":1024,"translations":{"ko":{"alt":"해 뜨는 안개 낀 들판, 고목 아래 돌우물 곁에 한복 입은 여인이 서 있고 멀리서 남자가 다가온다.","caption":"부인이 남긴 단서는 부부의 재회로 이어진다.","description":null},"en":{"alt":"A woman in hanbok stands by a stone well beneath an old tree as a man approaches through mist at sunrise.","caption":"The clues left by the wife lead to the couple’s reunion.","description":null},"ja":{"alt":"日の出の霧深い野原で、古木の下の石井戸のそばに韓服姿の女性が立ち、遠くから男性が近づく。","caption":"妻が残した手がかりが夫婦の再会につながる。","description":null},"es":{"alt":"Una mujer en hanbok junto a un pozo bajo un árbol viejo; un hombre se acerca entre la niebla al amanecer.","caption":"Las pistas que deja la esposa conducen al reencuentro de la pareja.","description":null},"id":{"alt":"Perempuan berhanbok di sisi sumur batu di bawah pohon tua; seorang pria mendekat dalam kabut fajar.","caption":"Petunjuk yang ditinggalkan sang istri membawa pasangan itu kembali bertemu.","description":null},"pt":{"alt":"Uma mulher de hanbok junto a um poço sob uma árvore antiga; um homem se aproxima na névoa ao amanhecer.","caption":"As pistas deixadas pela esposa levam ao reencontro do casal.","description":null},"zh-hant":{"alt":"晨霧籠罩原野，一名身穿韓服的女子背身站在老樹下的石井旁，遠處一名男子沿小徑走近。","caption":"妻子留下的線索促成了夫妻重逢。","description":null},"de":{"alt":"Eine Frau im Hanbok steht am Steinbrunnen unter einem alten Baum; im Morgennebel nähert sich ein Mann.","caption":"Die von der Ehefrau hinterlassenen Hinweise führen zur Wiedervereinigung des Paares.","description":null}}}],"published_at":"2026-11-10T22:35:24+09:00","updated_at":"2026-11-10T22:35:24+09:00","license":"cc_by","translation_status":"reviewed","available_locales":["ko","en","ja","es"],"data_locales":["ko","en","ja","es","id","pt","zh-hant","de"],"url":"https://injoys.com/en/articles/seongjusin-anseong-hahu-wang-folk-tale"}