Igong Maji

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The Igong Maji (Korean: 이공맞이; lit. Greeting the Igong is a Korean shamanistic ritual done in Jeju Island. Because Igong, the god of flowers, does not have an important role in common life, the Igong Maji was done only as a part of a large gut ritual.[1]

Igong was the patron of the Fields of Seocheon, a mythological realm of magical flowers.[1] The myth concerning the Igong (Hallakgungi being his true name, and Igong being only a title) is called the Igong Bonpuli.[2]

According to the Igong Bonpuli, the Fields of Seocheon include many magical flowers, but only two have importance; the Hwansaengkkot (literally Flowers of reincarnation) and the Suremyeolmangaksimkkot (literally Flower that brings destruction through the evil mind). The Hwansaengkkot include the Bbyeoalikkot (flower that revives the bones), Salsalikkot (flower that revives the flesh), Ojangyukbusalikkot (flower that revives the intestines), Pisalikkot (flower that revives the blood), Sumsalikkot (flower that revives the breath), and Honsalikkot (flower that revives the soul).

Thus, the Igong Maji ritual was intended to ward off destruction and evil caused by the Suremyeolmangakshimkkot and gather the prosperity caused by the Hwansaengkkot.

Additionally, the Igong Maji had another function. Because it was believed that the children who died under the age of fifteen would assist in raising the magical flowers, parents who lost their children prayed to Igong to not harass their children.

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