한일 전통예능 비교 연구: 서왕모의 중층성과 각국의 문화지형을 중심으로 = Comparative Study of Traditional Korean and Japanese Performing Arts : Focusing on the Multilayered Nature of ‘Xiwangmu’ and the Cultural Geographies of ‘Woman(女)’ and ‘Deity(神)’ -

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Xiwangmu(西王母, the Queen Mother of the West), significant figure in East Asian mythology, has long been loved the boundaries between deity and human for generations. At the same time, She appears both as an object of religious belief and an icon of traditional performing arts, establishing a multi-layered system. However, Xiwangmu is represented differently in Korea and Japan, reflecting the unique characteristics of each country’s cultural landscape. In Korea’s Heonsundo and Oyangseon, Xiwangmu governs the ‘peaches of immortality’(蟠桃) in the realm of the immortals and symbolizes longevity, and She plays an important role, particularly in celebrating the virtue of kings and wishing for their longevity. However Xiwangmu is often portrayed as subordinate to the king, rather than as a powerful goddess with strong divine authority. In contrast, in Japan’s <Seiōbo(西王母)>, Xiwangmu maintains her divine status as a goddess without being placed beneath the king. The difference in the status of Xiwangmu in traditional Korean and Japanese performing arts seems to stem from the different cultural geographies of the two nations, such as the strong male-centric societal norms in Korea.