한국 고대 인신공희의 양상과 변화 = Aspects and Transformation of Human Sacrifice in Ancient Korea

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This study comprehensively examines the various forms and transformations of human sacrifice (inshingonghui) that appeared in ancient Korean society, based on archaeological evidence, historical records, and oral traditions. Human sacrifice was not merely a ritual act, but a complex practice that reflected the values and power structures of society. It functioned as a ritual that visualized authority and reinforced the social order, extending beyond an offering to supernatural beings.
Therefore, studying human sacrifice is not simply a matter of understanding a brutal custom of the past, but a key to deeply understanding ancient conceptions of humanity, society, religion, power, and value systems. It reveals ancient perspectives on life and death, and in many cases, human sacrifice served as a tool for legitimizing the ruling power.
Human sacrifice exposes ancient attitudes toward the value of human life and allows us to trace the historical development of these perceptions. Over time, human offerings were gradually replaced by animal sacrifices or symbolic substitutes such as figurines. This transformation retained the symbolic function of sacrifice while eliminating actual loss of life, indicating a shift toward symbolic acts that maintained ritual efficacy without real violence.
In ancient Korea, human sacrifice gradually disappeared due to factors such as the prohibition of burial sacrifice (sunjang), the adoption of Buddhism and Confucianism, and the implementation of codified law (yullnyeong). This disappearance reflects the broader pattern of cultural evolution in which inhumane customs were increasingly rejected. However, narratives related to human sacrifice continued to persist in folktales and literature. This persistence indicates that ancient religious and magical worldviews survived, albeit in a weakened form, into later periods. Although human sacrifice was once a real practice, over time it was transformed into symbolic or metaphorical elements in storytelling, reflecting how ancient beliefs continued to resonate through cultural memory.