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Concept - Korean mystic shamanism – Won'gwi
Identifier
027175
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
A description of the experience
Korean Shamanism – Muism – Dr Kim Tae-kon
won'gwi: The won'gwi is a drifting soul that cannot enter the other world because of the animosity it holds due to its premature death, violent death, or death in a strange/foreign land. These souls remain in the world, after their death, during the observance of the initial funeral, the “small" funeral, and the "great" funeral. They enter the other world after being freed from their animosity by three years of funerals.
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Souls are divided into saryong (the "dead soul") and saengnyong (the "live soul"), and saryong is further divided into the good choyong and the malevolent won'gwi and wollyong.
However, even though there are differences in the other world between the good and bad death spirits, yet both bear the characteristics of being formless, immortal, invisible and eternal spirits/beings, who have "escaped" their bodies. Even a won'gwi can enter heaven with the benevolent soul if his/her descendents relieve his spirit of his/her animosity with saryongje (ceremonies for dead souls).