{"content_id":"i8iwlrfhtw","slug":"yongjaechonghwa-dokkaebi-fire-an-buyun-ending","locale":"en","schema_type":"Article","category":"story","category_name":"Tales","title":"Yongjae Chonghwa Ghost Lights: How Prefect An's Story Ends","summary":"The anecdote about Prefect An in volume 3 of Yongjae Chonghwa tells how, after encountering ghost lights on a road at night, he mistakes even a pine torch for a ghost. It retells the Classical Chinese account in fresh language and distinguishes the humor of the ending from interpretations in later studies of ghost lights.","sponsorship_disclosure":null,"affiliate_disclosure":null,"commerce_disclosure":null,"author":{"name":"Injoys Editorial Team","url":"https://injoys.com/ko/about"},"key_points":["The ghost light anecdote about Prefect An appears in volume 3 of Yongjae Chonghwa by Seong Hyeon of the early Joseon period.","The story moves from clusters of lights on a road at night to the reappearance of ghost lights, then to confusion over a pine torch at a villa.","The ending reveals a twist: the man who thought he had driven away the ghost lights is still afraid.","Summaries of the mountain-road scene in later studies do not describe a separate variant, but present part of the same anecdote.","This anecdote alone cannot establish the origins of ghost light traditions or the natural cause of the lights."],"content_markdown":"The account of An Buyun in volume 3 of *Yongjae chonghwa* is a strange tale recorded by Seong Hyeon in the early Joseon period. A man who encounters ghost lights on a nighttime road later mistakes even the pine-knot fire at his country house for a ghost. This article retells that traditional story.\n\nThis article follows the story in volume 3 of *Yongjae chonghwa* and was prepared as of October 2026.\n\n## The Story\n\nThe lights An Buyun encounters on a nighttime road lead him to cause a commotion even after reaching his country house. The following retelling follows the sequence of events in the Classical Chinese account. The transitions between scenes are newly written.\n\n### Lights Surrounding the Nighttime Road\n\nWhen An Buyun was young, he was traveling to his country house in Seowon. He was riding a thin horse. A single page accompanied him.\n\nNight was falling, and no one was in sight. Lights resembling torches appeared in the direction of the town to the east. Noisy voices could also be heard. It looked like a hunting party.\n\nThe lights drew closer. Before long, they surrounded the travelers on both sides. Even after they had traveled some distance, the lights would not leave them. These were what the story calls ghost lights.\n\nAn Buyun could find nowhere to retreat. He simply urged his horse onward. As he continued along the road, the lights scattered.\n\n### Ghost Lights Reappearing Beyond the Pass\n\nAfter he crossed a mountain pass, the lights that had disappeared blocked the road again. The sky was overcast, and the rain-soaked road was difficult to travel. Until moments before, An Buyun had been relieved to think he had escaped the ghost lights.\n\nThe lights from earlier were gathered in layers before his eyes. He could think of no other way out. He drew his sword, shouted loudly, and charged into the lights.\n\nThe lights scattered all at once. The swarm moved into the woods and underbrush. There followed even the sounds of clapping and loud laughter.\n\n### The Pine-Knot Fire at the Country House\n\nEven after reaching his country house, An Buyun could not calm his nerves. He leaned against a window and dozed briefly. Inside, the servants were spinning thread by the light of a pine-knot fire.\n\nThe light grew brighter, then dimmer. Seeing it, An Buyun thought the ghost lights had followed him again. He sprang up and caused a commotion. Dishes around him broke, and the household was startled.\n\nThe man who thought he had driven off the ghost lights on the nighttime road had not yet escaped his fear. What frightened him again at the country house was a fire lit for household work. The story ends with this mistake.\n\n## The Original Source and Its Background\n\nThis account comes from volume 3 of Seong Hyeon's *Yongjae chonghwa*. Seong Hyeon was a figure of the early Joseon period, born in 1439 and deceased in 1504. Kyujanggak describes the book as a collection of essays covering institutions, customs, people, and other subjects. Bibliographic information is available on the [detailed page for the copy held by Kyujanggak](https://kyudb.snu.ac.kr/book/view.do?book_cd=GK06905_00).\n\nAt the beginning of the story, An Buyun is introduced as Seong Hyeon's maternal uncle. A maternal uncle is a brother of one's mother. Here, “An” is the surname, and “Buyun” is an official title. “An Buyun” should therefore not be read as a person's full name.\n\nThe Classical Chinese text can also be found in a quotation included in the Korean Modern Historical Materials Database. Son Jin-tae quoted it in issue 15 of *Donggwang*, published on July 5, 1927. The article is titled “A Study of Early Korean Culture, A Religious and Folk Study of Ancient Korean Religion (4).” [The article](https://db.history.go.kr/id/ma_014_0140_0160) includes the Classical Chinese text through the commotion at the country house.\n\nThe dates associated with these sources should be distinguished as follows.\n\n| Category | Confirmed information | Points to keep in mind when reading |\n|---|---|---|\n| Source of the story | Volume 3 of *Yongjae chonghwa* | This does not prove that the events actually happened |\n| Author | Seong Hyeon, born in 1439 and deceased in 1504 | His birth and death dates do not date the events of the story |\n| The linked copy held by Kyujanggak | A lithographic edition listed as published in the 20th century | The date this copy was printed differs from the date the work was written |\n| Classical Chinese quotation in *Donggwang* | Published on July 5, 1927 | This is a later source quoting the original text |\n\nThe relevant Kyujanggak page was used to check the bibliographic details of its copy. This retelling is based on the Classical Chinese passage quoted in *Donggwang*. No sentences from modern translations were used.\n\n## Other Versions and Similar Stories\n\nThe differences among the sources consulted concern the scope of quotation and summary rather than distinct versions. Kim Jong-dae's 2004 study focuses on the encounter with ghost lights on a mountain road. The paper is titled “A Preliminary Comparative Study of Korean Dokkaebi and Japanese Yōkai (妖怪).” The relevant material can be found in the [paper made available by the National Folk Museum of Korea](https://folkency.nfm.go.kr/api/file/download/reference/324).\n\n| Source or tradition | Content presented | Relationship to this account |\n|---|---|---|\n| Classical Chinese quotation from volume 3 of *Yongjae chonghwa* | Runs from the ghost lights on the nighttime road through the mistaken perception at the country house | Provides the sequence of events on which this retelling is based |\n| Kim Jong-dae's 2004 study | Ghost lights gather in a group and tease a traveler on a mountain road | Focuses on part of the same account |\n| Oral traditions of dokkaebi fire compared in the study | Groups of lights appear on nighttime roads in bad weather | Allow comparison of shared motifs |\n\nThe absence of the country-house scene from a summary does not mean it has a different ending. Nor does a resemblance to motifs in oral traditions make them the same story. To discuss distinct versions, records with different characters and sequences of events must be identified.\n\n## Folklore in the Story\n\nThe ghost lights in this account can be read in connection with traditions of dokkaebi fire. “Ghost lights” refers to strange lights regarded as the fire of ghosts. Kim Jong-dae's study also interprets this record as an example of dokkaebi fire.\n\nThe comparison rests on the shared motifs of nighttime roads, bad weather, and gathering in groups. Here, the weather is a condition under which the lights appear in the tradition. It is not observational evidence establishing what actually caused the lights.\n\n### Does This Account Explain the Origin of Dokkaebi Fire?\n\nThis account does not explain how the tradition of dokkaebi fire began. It unfolds as the personal account of someone who encounters strange lights. The origin of Korean dokkaebi as a whole therefore cannot be found in this single story.\n\nThe following distinctions should be kept in mind when reading.\n\n- Distinguish the expression “ghost lights” in the record from the later interpretation of them as dokkaebi fire.\n- Do not assume that ghosts and dokkaebi are always the same beings.\n- Do not conclude that a particular natural phenomenon caused the events in this account.\n- The setting of the story does not indicate a present-day haunted location.\n\n## The Ending and Meaning of the An Buyun Story\n\nThe key to the ending is the twist in which a pine-knot fire is mistaken for a ghost. A pine-knot fire burns pieces of resin-rich pine. For the household, it provided light for work. For An Buyun, it became a light that revived his fear from the nighttime road.\n\nThis structure can be read as showing how fear changes even the way ordinary things are interpreted. On the mountain road, unidentified lights frighten a person. At the country house, that person misidentifies a familiar light. The contrast between the two scenes creates humor.\n\n| Scene | An Buyun's judgment | Meaning revealed by the ending |\n|---|---|---|\n| After the ghost lights first scatter | He thinks he has escaped danger | His relief does not last long |\n| After he charges into the ghost lights | He clears a path again | His fear has not disappeared as well |\n| After he sees the light at the country house | He thinks the ghost lights have returned | He mistakes the pine-knot fire for them and causes a commotion |\n\nThis interpretation is a reading drawn from the story's structure. It is not a separate moral explicitly stated by Seong Hyeon. Nor is there a basis for assigning An Buyun a modern medical diagnosis.\n\n## Frequently Asked Questions\n\n### Is the Story of An Buyun True?\n\nIt is a strange tale recorded in a classical work, not an event verified as true. The mere presence of a person in the story does not prove that ghost lights exist. This article retells a traditional story.\n\n### Where Can I Read the Original Text?\n\nThe Classical Chinese text is quoted in an article in issue 15 of *Donggwang* in the Korean Modern Historical Materials Database. It runs from the introduction of An Buyun through the commotion at the country house. The linked Kyujanggak page provides bibliographic details for its copy.\n\n### Is An Buyun a Person's Name?\n\n“An Buyun” is a form of address combining a surname and an official title. “An” is the surname, and “Buyun” is the official title. The text introduces him as Seong Hyeon's maternal uncle.\n\n### Is the Fire That Appears at the End Also a Ghost Light?\n\nThe final fire at the country house is a pine-knot fire the servants have lit for their work. An Buyun mistakes it for ghost lights. This mistake creates the twist in the ending.\n\n### Is a Summary That Ends on the Mountain Road a Different Version?\n\nThere is no basis for treating the summary in the study consulted as a distinct version. The study presents the mountain-road scene with a focus on the characteristics of dokkaebi fire. The Classical Chinese quotation continues through the commotion at the country house.\n\n### What Does the Story Mean?\n\nOne possible reading is that lingering fear can make even an ordinary light seem threatening. Placing a mistake after the scene in which the ghost lights appear to have been driven away creates humor. This is an interpretation of the story's structure.\n\n### Is This a Tradition Connected to Halloween?\n\nThere is no evidence that this account originated with Halloween. It can be included among classical ghost stories to read in the lead-up to Halloween. The original source and the meaning of its ending remain the same when read in summer or any other season.","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eThe account of An Buyun in volume 3 of \u003cem\u003eYongjae chonghwa\u003c/em\u003e is a strange tale recorded by Seong Hyeon in the early Joseon period. A man who encounters ghost lights on a nighttime road later mistakes even the pine-knot fire at his country house for a ghost. This article retells that traditional story.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis article follows the story in volume 3 of \u003cem\u003eYongjae chonghwa\u003c/em\u003e and was prepared as of October 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 lights An Buyun encounters on a nighttime road lead him to cause a commotion even after reaching his country house. The following retelling follows the sequence of events in the Classical Chinese account. The transitions between scenes are newly written.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#lights-surrounding-the-nighttime-road\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"lights-surrounding-the-nighttime-road\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eLights Surrounding the Nighttime Road\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen An Buyun was young, he was traveling to his country house in Seowon. He was riding a thin horse. A single page accompanied him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNight was falling, and no one was in sight. Lights resembling torches appeared in the direction of the town to the east. Noisy voices could also be heard. It looked like a hunting party.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe lights drew closer. Before long, they surrounded the travelers on both sides. Even after they had traveled some distance, the lights would not leave them. These were what the story calls ghost lights.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn Buyun could find nowhere to retreat. He simply urged his horse onward. As he continued along the road, the lights scattered.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#ghost-lights-reappearing-beyond-the-pass\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"ghost-lights-reappearing-beyond-the-pass\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eGhost Lights Reappearing Beyond the Pass\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter he crossed a mountain pass, the lights that had disappeared blocked the road again. The sky was overcast, and the rain-soaked road was difficult to travel. Until moments before, An Buyun had been relieved to think he had escaped the ghost lights.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe lights from earlier were gathered in layers before his eyes. He could think of no other way out. He drew his sword, shouted loudly, and charged into the lights.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe lights scattered all at once. The swarm moved into the woods and underbrush. There followed even the sounds of clapping and loud laughter.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#the-pine-knot-fire-at-the-country-house\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"the-pine-knot-fire-at-the-country-house\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eThe Pine-Knot Fire at the Country House\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven after reaching his country house, An Buyun could not calm his nerves. He leaned against a window and dozed briefly. Inside, the servants were spinning thread by the light of a pine-knot fire.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe light grew brighter, then dimmer. Seeing it, An Buyun thought the ghost lights had followed him again. He sprang up and caused a commotion. Dishes around him broke, and the household was startled.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe man who thought he had driven off the ghost lights on the nighttime road had not yet escaped his fear. What frightened him again at the country house was a fire lit for household work. The story ends with this mistake.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#the-original-source-and-its-background\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"the-original-source-and-its-background\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eThe Original Source and Its Background\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis account comes from volume 3 of Seong Hyeon's \u003cem\u003eYongjae chonghwa\u003c/em\u003e. Seong Hyeon was a figure of the early Joseon period, born in 1439 and deceased in 1504. Kyujanggak describes the book as a collection of essays covering institutions, customs, people, and other subjects. Bibliographic information is available on the \u003ca href=\"https://kyudb.snu.ac.kr/book/view.do?book_cd=GK06905_00\"\u003edetailed page for the copy held by Kyujanggak\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the beginning of the story, An Buyun is introduced as Seong Hyeon's maternal uncle. A maternal uncle is a brother of one's mother. Here, “An” is the surname, and “Buyun” is an official title. “An Buyun” should therefore not be read as a person's full name.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Classical Chinese text can also be found in a quotation included in the Korean Modern Historical Materials Database. Son Jin-tae quoted it in issue 15 of \u003cem\u003eDonggwang\u003c/em\u003e, published on July 5, 1927. The article is titled “A Study of Early Korean Culture, A Religious and Folk Study of Ancient Korean Religion (4).” \u003ca href=\"https://db.history.go.kr/id/ma_014_0140_0160\"\u003eThe article\u003c/a\u003e includes the Classical Chinese text through the commotion at the country house.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe dates associated with these sources should be distinguished as follows.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"overflow-x-auto\"\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eCategory\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eConfirmed information\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePoints to keep in mind when reading\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Category\"\u003eSource of the story\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Confirmed information\"\u003eVolume 3 of \u003cem\u003eYongjae chonghwa\u003c/em\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Points to keep in mind when reading\"\u003eThis does not prove that the events actually happened\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Category\"\u003eAuthor\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Confirmed information\"\u003eSeong Hyeon, born in 1439 and deceased in 1504\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Points to keep in mind when reading\"\u003eHis birth and death dates do not date the events of the story\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Category\"\u003eThe linked copy held by Kyujanggak\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Confirmed information\"\u003eA lithographic edition listed as published in the 20th century\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Points to keep in mind when reading\"\u003eThe date this copy was printed differs from the date the work was written\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Category\"\u003eClassical Chinese quotation in \u003cem\u003eDonggwang\u003c/em\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Confirmed information\"\u003ePublished on July 5, 1927\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Points to keep in mind when reading\"\u003eThis is a later source quoting the original text\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe relevant Kyujanggak page was used to check the bibliographic details of its copy. This retelling is based on the Classical Chinese passage quoted in \u003cem\u003eDonggwang\u003c/em\u003e. No sentences from modern translations were used.\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 differences among the sources consulted concern the scope of quotation and summary rather than distinct versions. Kim Jong-dae's 2004 study focuses on the encounter with ghost lights on a mountain road. The paper is titled “A Preliminary Comparative Study of Korean Dokkaebi and Japanese Yōkai (妖怪).” The relevant material can be found in the \u003ca href=\"https://folkency.nfm.go.kr/api/file/download/reference/324\"\u003epaper made available by the National Folk Museum of Korea\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"overflow-x-auto\"\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eSource or tradition\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eContent presented\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRelationship to this account\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Source or tradition\"\u003eClassical Chinese quotation from volume 3 of \u003cem\u003eYongjae chonghwa\u003c/em\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Content presented\"\u003eRuns from the ghost lights on the nighttime road through the mistaken perception at the country house\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Relationship to this account\"\u003eProvides the sequence of events on which this retelling is based\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Source or tradition\"\u003eKim Jong-dae's 2004 study\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Content presented\"\u003eGhost lights gather in a group and tease a traveler on a mountain road\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Relationship to this account\"\u003eFocuses on part of the same account\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Source or tradition\"\u003eOral traditions of dokkaebi fire compared in the study\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Content presented\"\u003eGroups of lights appear on nighttime roads in bad weather\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Relationship to this account\"\u003eAllow comparison of shared motifs\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe absence of the country-house scene from a summary does not mean it has a different ending. Nor does a resemblance to motifs in oral traditions make them the same story. To discuss distinct versions, records with different characters and sequences of events must be identified.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#folklore-in-the-story\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"folklore-in-the-story\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eFolklore in the Story\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe ghost lights in this account can be read in connection with traditions of dokkaebi fire. “Ghost lights” refers to strange lights regarded as the fire of ghosts. Kim Jong-dae's study also interprets this record as an example of dokkaebi fire.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe comparison rests on the shared motifs of nighttime roads, bad weather, and gathering in groups. Here, the weather is a condition under which the lights appear in the tradition. It is not observational evidence establishing what actually caused the lights.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#does-this-account-explain-the-origin-of-dokkaebi-fire\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"does-this-account-explain-the-origin-of-dokkaebi-fire\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eDoes This Account Explain the Origin of Dokkaebi Fire?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis account does not explain how the tradition of dokkaebi fire began. It unfolds as the personal account of someone who encounters strange lights. The origin of Korean dokkaebi as a whole therefore cannot be found in this single story.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe following distinctions should be kept in mind when reading.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDistinguish the expression “ghost lights” in the record from the later interpretation of them as dokkaebi fire.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDo not assume that ghosts and dokkaebi are always the same beings.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDo not conclude that a particular natural phenomenon caused the events in this account.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe setting of the story does not indicate a present-day haunted location.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#the-ending-and-meaning-of-the-an-buyun-story\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"the-ending-and-meaning-of-the-an-buyun-story\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eThe Ending and Meaning of the An Buyun Story\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe key to the ending is the twist in which a pine-knot fire is mistaken for a ghost. A pine-knot fire burns pieces of resin-rich pine. For the household, it provided light for work. For An Buyun, it became a light that revived his fear from the nighttime road.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis structure can be read as showing how fear changes even the way ordinary things are interpreted. On the mountain road, unidentified lights frighten a person. At the country house, that person misidentifies a familiar light. The contrast between the two scenes creates humor.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"overflow-x-auto\"\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eScene\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eAn Buyun's judgment\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eMeaning revealed by the ending\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Scene\"\u003eAfter the ghost lights first scatter\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"An Buyun's judgment\"\u003eHe thinks he has escaped danger\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Meaning revealed by the ending\"\u003eHis relief does not last long\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Scene\"\u003eAfter he charges into the ghost lights\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"An Buyun's judgment\"\u003eHe clears a path again\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Meaning revealed by the ending\"\u003eHis fear has not disappeared as well\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Scene\"\u003eAfter he sees the light at the country house\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"An Buyun's judgment\"\u003eHe thinks the ghost lights have returned\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Meaning revealed by the ending\"\u003eHe mistakes the pine-knot fire for them and causes a commotion\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis interpretation is a reading drawn from the story's structure. It is not a separate moral explicitly stated by Seong Hyeon. Nor is there a basis for assigning An Buyun a modern medical diagnosis.\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=\"#is-the-story-of-an-buyun-true\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"is-the-story-of-an-buyun-true\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eIs the Story of An Buyun True?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is a strange tale recorded in a classical work, not an event verified as true. The mere presence of a person in the story does not prove that ghost lights exist. This article retells a traditional story.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#where-can-i-read-the-original-text\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"where-can-i-read-the-original-text\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eWhere Can I Read the Original Text?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Classical Chinese text is quoted in an article in issue 15 of \u003cem\u003eDonggwang\u003c/em\u003e in the Korean Modern Historical Materials Database. It runs from the introduction of An Buyun through the commotion at the country house. The linked Kyujanggak page provides bibliographic details for its copy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#is-an-buyun-a-persons-name\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"is-an-buyun-a-persons-name\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eIs An Buyun a Person's Name?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“An Buyun” is a form of address combining a surname and an official title. “An” is the surname, and “Buyun” is the official title. The text introduces him as Seong Hyeon's maternal uncle.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#is-the-fire-that-appears-at-the-end-also-a-ghost-light\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"is-the-fire-that-appears-at-the-end-also-a-ghost-light\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eIs the Fire That Appears at the End Also a Ghost Light?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe final fire at the country house is a pine-knot fire the servants have lit for their work. An Buyun mistakes it for ghost lights. This mistake creates the twist in the ending.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#is-a-summary-that-ends-on-the-mountain-road-a-different-version\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"is-a-summary-that-ends-on-the-mountain-road-a-different-version\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eIs a Summary That Ends on the Mountain Road a Different Version?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is no basis for treating the summary in the study consulted as a distinct version. The study presents the mountain-road scene with a focus on the characteristics of dokkaebi fire. The Classical Chinese quotation continues through the commotion at the country house.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#what-does-the-story-mean\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"what-does-the-story-mean\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eWhat Does the Story Mean?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne possible reading is that lingering fear can make even an ordinary light seem threatening. Placing a mistake after the scene in which the ghost lights appear to have been driven away creates humor. This is an interpretation of the story's structure.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#is-this-a-tradition-connected-to-halloween\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"is-this-a-tradition-connected-to-halloween\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eIs This a Tradition Connected to Halloween?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is no evidence that this account originated with Halloween. It can be included among classical ghost stories to read in the lead-up to Halloween. The original source and the meaning of its ending remain the same when read in summer or any other season.\u003c/p\u003e\n","tags":["Joseon period","Cultural heritage","Folktales"],"faqs":[{"question":"Is the story of An Buyun true?","answer":"It is not a verified true event, but a strange tale recorded in a classical text. The fact that a person appears in the tale does not in itself prove that ghost lights are real. This article retells a traditional story."},{"question":"Where can I read the original text?","answer":"A passage in Classical Chinese is quoted in an article in issue 15 of Donggwang in the Korean Modern Historical Sources DB. You can read from the passage introducing An Buyun through the commotion at the villa. The linked Kyujanggak page provides bibliographic information about the copy in its collection."},{"question":"Is An Buyun a person's name?","answer":"'An Buyun' is a form of address combining a surname and an official title. 'An' is the surname, and 'buyun' is the official title. In the text, he is introduced as Seong Hyeon's maternal uncle."},{"question":"Is the fire that appears at the end also a ghost light?","answer":"The last fire at the villa is a pine-knot fire lit by the servants so they can work. An Buyun mistakes it for a ghost light. This misperception creates the twist at the end."},{"question":"Is the summary that ends on the mountain path a different version?","answer":"There is no basis for treating the summary in the study consulted as a separate version. The study presents the mountain path scene with a focus on the characteristics of will-o'-the-wisps. The quoted Classical Chinese passage continues through the commotion at the villa."},{"question":"What does the story mean?","answer":"One possible reading is that lingering fear can make even an ordinary light seem threatening. Placing a misperception after a scene in which the ghost lights seem to have been driven away creates humor. This is an interpretation of the story's structure."},{"question":"Is this a traditional tale connected to Halloween?","answer":"There is no evidence that this anecdote originated from Halloween. It can serve as a classic ghost story to read in the lead-up to Halloween. The original text and the meaning of the ending remain the same even if it is read in summer or another season."}],"sources":[{"url":"https://kyudb.snu.ac.kr/book/view.do?book_cd=GK06905_00","title":"Kyujanggak Institute for Korean Studies Full-Text Search Service, bibliographic information for the copy of Yongjae Chonghwa in its collection","type":"source"},{"url":"https://db.history.go.kr/id/ma_014_0140_0160","title":"Korean Modern Historical Materials DB, Son Jin-tae, “A Study of Ancient Joseon Culture, A Religious and Folk Study of Ancient Joseon Religion (4),” Donggwang, No. 15, July 5, 1927","type":"source"},{"url":"https://folkency.nfm.go.kr/api/file/download/reference/324","title":"Kim Jong-dae, “A Preliminary Essay on a Comparative Study of Korean Dokkaebi and Japanese Yokai (妖怪),” Folklore Studies, No. 15, 2004","type":"source"}],"images":[{"id":2163,"url":"https://injoys.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/proxy/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6MzMyNTQsInB1ciI6ImJsb2JfaWQifX0=--1cf663fae9cfa9dab1ac2900ff07b48f6ec928d7/ai-fc806698.webp","is_representative":true,"generation_method":"ai_image","license":"ai_generated","mime_type":"image/webp","width":1536,"height":1024,"translations":{"ko":{"alt":"구름 낀 밤, 희미한 귀화가 소나무 사이에 떠 있는 험한 산길을 말을 탄 나그네가 지나간다.","caption":"안부윤이 밤길에서 귀화를 만난 경험은 뒤이은 오인의 바탕이 된다.","description":null},"en":{"alt":"A lone rider follows a rocky mountain path at night, with pale ghost lights drifting among misty pines.","caption":"Prefect An’s encounter with ghost lights sets up the later misunderstanding.","description":null},"ja":{"alt":"雲に覆われた夜、淡い鬼火が松林の霧に漂う険しい山道を、馬に乗った旅人が進む。","caption":"安府尹が夜道で鬼火に出会った経験が、その後の見間違いにつながる。","description":null},"es":{"alt":"Un jinete recorre un sendero rocoso de noche entre pinos, niebla y pálidos fuegos fatuos.","caption":"El encuentro del prefecto An con los fuegos fatuos da pie a la confusión posterior.","description":null},"id":{"alt":"Seorang penunggang menyusuri jalan gunung berbatu pada malam hari, di antara pinus berkabut dan cahaya hantu.","caption":"Pertemuan pejabat An dengan cahaya hantu menjadi awal kesalahpahaman berikutnya.","description":null},"pt":{"alt":"Um viajante a cavalo segue uma trilha rochosa à noite, entre pinheiros, névoa e pálidos fogos-fátuos.","caption":"O encontro do prefeito An com os fogos-fátuos prepara o equívoco posterior.","description":null},"zh-hant":{"alt":"陰雲密布的夜裡，一名旅人騎馬行經崎嶇山路，蒼白鬼火飄浮在松林與霧氣之間。","caption":"安府尹夜遇鬼火的經驗，為後來的誤認埋下伏筆。","description":null},"de":{"alt":"Ein Reiter folgt nachts einem felsigen Bergpfad, umgeben von nebligen Kiefern und blassen Irrlichtern.","caption":"Die Begegnung des Präfekten An mit Irrlichtern bereitet die spätere Verwechslung vor.","description":null}}},{"id":2164,"url":"https://injoys.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/proxy/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6MzMyNjAsInB1ciI6ImJsb2JfaWQifX0=--99a477098561a14a886aacf2440270cf9e6cc632/ai-26e458b6.webp","is_representative":false,"generation_method":"ai_image","license":"ai_generated","mime_type":"image/webp","width":1536,"height":1024,"translations":{"ko":{"alt":"달밤의 한옥 안에서 관솔불 옆의 나그네가 움찔하고, 뒤편에서는 두 여인이 실을 잣는다.","caption":"귀화를 쫓았다고 여긴 뒤에도 두려움이 남아 있다는 반전이 결말의 해학을 이룬다.","description":null},"en":{"alt":"A traveler recoils beside burning pine kindling while two women spin thread in a Korean house at night.","caption":"The comic ending reveals that fear lingers even after he believes he has driven the spirits away.","description":null},"ja":{"alt":"月夜の韓屋で、燃える松明かしのそばの旅人が身を引き、奥では二人の女性が糸を紡いでいる。","caption":"鬼火を追い払ったつもりでも恐怖は残っているという逆転が、結末のおかしみを生む。","description":null},"es":{"alt":"Un viajero se sobresalta junto a una tea de pino mientras dos mujeres hilan en una casa coreana de noche.","caption":"El desenlace cómico revela que el miedo persiste aun después de creer que ha ahuyentado a los espíritus.","description":null},"id":{"alt":"Seorang pengelana terkejut di dekat nyala kayu pinus, sementara dua perempuan memintal di rumah Korea pada malam hari.","caption":"Akhir yang jenaka mengungkap bahwa rasa takut tetap ada meski ia merasa telah mengusir roh-roh.","description":null},"pt":{"alt":"Um viajante se assusta junto a uma lasca de pinho acesa, enquanto duas mulheres fiam numa casa coreana à noite.","caption":"O desfecho cômico revela que o medo persiste mesmo depois de ele acreditar que afugentou os espíritos.","description":null},"zh-hant":{"alt":"月夜的韓屋內，一名旅人在燃燒的松明旁驚得退縮，後方兩名女子正在紡線。","caption":"自以為已驅走鬼火，心中卻仍留有恐懼，這一反轉構成了結尾的詼諧。","description":null},"de":{"alt":"Ein Reisender erschrickt neben brennendem Kienholz, während zwei Frauen nachts in einem koreanischen Haus Garn spinnen.","caption":"Die komische Wendung am Ende zeigt, dass die Angst bleibt, obwohl er glaubt, die Geister vertrieben zu haben.","description":null}}}],"published_at":"2026-10-27T04:43:14+09:00","updated_at":"2026-10-27T04:43:14+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/yongjaechonghwa-dokkaebi-fire-an-buyun-ending"}