Frontal view of Village Guardian within the South GateThis is the frontal view of Village Guardian within the South Gate in Dongjung-ri, Buan-eup, Buan-gun. This rectangular stone pole features the shape of cone consisting of two tiers.
Lateral view of Village Guardian within the South Gate This is the Lateral view of Village Guardian within the South Gate in Dongjung-ri, Buan-eup, Buan-gun. It was designated as Jeollabuk-do Folklore Heritage No. 18 on August 16, 1985.
CategoryCultural Heritage / Tangible Cultural Heritage
Korean남문안 당산
Chinese南門-堂山
FieldLifestyle & Folklore / Folklore
Contents TypeHistoric Site / Folk Religious Site
Current Location10, Nammunan-gil Buan-eup, Buan-gun, Jeollabuk-do
Definition
This is the religious structure of the rural community in south gate of Buan-gun, Jeollabuk-do, to pray for the safety and abundance of the community.
Summary
It is a stone pole that used to be worshipped as the guardian deity of the walled town of Bupung-hyeon in the south gate of Buan-eup.
Location
It was originally located inside the south gate of the walled town of Bupung-hyeon, whose south gate was called Chwiwollu or Huseollu. The pole is currently located to the left of the entrance to the Buan Education and Culture Center.
Forms
It is a stone pole consisting of two sections, i.e. a lower section in the form of a square column and a conically-shaped upper section. The upper part of the pole bears traces of carving four tortoises. The pole, which was erected on a base prepared by making a hole at the center of a natural stone carved in the shape of a tortoise, is inscribed with the names of the twenty-four people who donated the money to finance its installation. The pole is 4.7 meters tall and has a circumference of 1.38 meters (at the base of the lower section).
Ritual
Local worshippers used to hold annual rituals at the pole on the night of the fifteenth day of the first month of the lunar calendar. The tradition was discontinued during the colonial period.
Current Status
It is a stone pole consisting of a lower section in the form of a square pillar and a conical upper section. It is one of the three guardian poles set up to protect the walled town of Buan, with the other two standing inside the east and west gates. Unlike the other two poles, each of which is accompanied by a guardian stone in the human figure (jangseung), the guardian pole of the south gate stands alone and lacks the duck-shaped finial. The pole bears an inscription of the names of the people who financed its installation, although there is no record of when it was set up.
Historical Significance
Village Guardians within the South Gate of Buan one of three stone guardian poles erected at the three main entrances - east, west and south gates - of the walled town of Bupuung-hyeon. It was probably erected inside the south gate (Chwiwollu or Huseollu) in 1689 at the same time as the other two guardian poles. It was designated as Folk Cultural Heritage of Jeollabuk-do No. 18 on August 16, 1985.
