My Seoul Story A personal tour of Korea's cultural past

Kyle Decker with Dr. Yang Jong-sung outside the Museum of Shamanism./Courtesy of Nathaniel Sanders

This is the eleventh in the series of contributions about Seoul's charms as seen from foreigners' points of view ― ED.

I discovered the Museum of Shamanism in typical “smal

l world” fashion, while my cousin visited me in Korea in the summer.

While attending Indiana University he befriended Yang Jong-sung, a Korean folklorist and scholar pursuing a Ph.D. in shamanism, so he wanted to look up his old friend during his visit. After Google searches and emails we discovered Dr. Yang had opened his own museum and he offered us a personal tour. We honestly had no idea what to expect, but figured, “Why not?”

On arriving, the first thing I notice about the Museum of Shamanism is how it stands out from its surroundings. The traditional one-story house rests amid a complex of ultra-modern high-rise apartments in northwestern Seoul’s Eunpyeong New Town. Looking at the heavy juxtaposition of the traditional alongside the modern I think to myself, “This is Korea.”

Dr. Yang explains this building is the last remaining shrine to the Great Prince Keumseong, the sixth son of King Sejong. Dr. Yang says it is because of this historical and cultural significance that he fought to preserve this building, the other two having been destroyed in the 1970s. Now a museum, it houses his personal collection of shamanistic artifacts from around the world. Prior to this, Dr. Yang had operated a museum of the artifacts in his own private home.

Many of the artifacts on display, he explains, are symbolic of various parts of life, death, and the connections between the two. “Shamanism is connected to the heavenly bodies.” Dr. Yang explains that many of the tools are “used to bring that energy from the cosmos to Earth.” To hear Dr. Yang explain it, it seems Shamanism is about bridging the divide between our world and the next, drawing in positive energy and cutting out evil spirits. As Korea’s first religion, it still influences its culture to this day.

As he gives the tour Dr. Yang’s passion for cultural history is palpable. He shares with us some old paintings in numerous styles from various periods. A few of these are so old and worn that they are difficult to make out. Dr. Yang tells us he is attempting to obtain funding to organize and restore these paintings, which will require special storage to protect them from the elements, as well as paints and materials to restore them as authentically as possible. I think about how humid it is, and a twinge of anxiety bubbles up as I realize time is not on their side.

One painting, however, stands out from the rest. It is stark, bold and colorful. It’s a re-creation, to be fair, but it gives us a sense of how the other pieces would have looked in their prime. The painting depicts Keumseong with a quiver of arrows on his back, riding a horse and surrounded by servants. Its colors are all bright and simple. Dr. Yang explains the purpose of this painting is to house the spirit of Keumseong. A painting of the spirit in life, he tells us, is a necessary part of all shamanic shrines. In front of this painting sit offerings of soju and rice.

Dr. Yang walks over to a rack with five flags, each a different color: red, blue, yellow, green and white. Red symbolizes birth and good fortune. Blue represents an opening or the coming of powerful spirits. Yellow hints at balance, support and a connection to one’s origins. Green speaks of nature and beginnings. White suggests purity and good health. He wraps up the flags and points the sticks at us so we cannot tell which stick is for which flag. I close my eyes and reach for a stick, and when I pull it back I’m looking at a yellow flag. Much as I’d been hoping for “good fortune,” it’s nice to know I’m balanced, supported and remember where I’m from.

The whole experience just goes to show that some things can’t be learned from plaques. It’s a truly enriching experience to learn from someone who has devoted their life to studying and preserving this history. To Dr. Yang, these are not just pieces in a museum, they are treasures. Visit shamanismmuseum.org for more information.

Kyle Decker is author of “Cannon Fodder: The Secret Lives of Henchmen” and lead singer of the punk band Food for Worms. He lives in Daegu.