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Aspects and Meaning of ‘snake monster’ in space and place -with a Focus on Ishimi and Jikim-i

  • The Research of the Korean Classic
  • 2025, (68), pp.161~206
  • Publisher : The Research Of The Korean Classic
  • Research Area : Humanities > Korean Language and Literature > Korean Literature > Korean classic prose
  • Received : December 31, 2024
  • Accepted : February 11, 2025
  • Published : February 28, 2025

LEE YEJI 1

1경상국립대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to reveal the connection between space and place in the representation of monster through a comparison of the snake monster ‘Isimi’ and ‘Jikim-i’, a type of Gasin. Ishimi is a Korean snake demon known by the alternative name of Imugi. However, in the Ishimi folktales that are passed down, Ishimi has a distinct hierarchy from Imugi and is perceived by people as a monster that should be ‘hunted’. This is because Ishimi has the animal nature of a ‘snake’, So, the name “Ishimi” is based on the fear of snakes. However, there is another entity that is equally animalized as a snake, and that is the ‘Jikim-i,’ a type of Gasin. The ‘Jikim-i’ is a type of ‘Upsin,’ a Gasin that protects the property of a house, and in the stories that are passed down, the ‘Jikim-i’ usually refers to a big snake. The guardian is the same animal, a snake, that protects the house and is considered a sacred being that should not leave the house, but there is a difference in how it is perceived by people. The difference between the name and level of recognition of Ishimi and Jikim-i, who share the same animal nature of ‘snake’, is related to the place where they exist. Ishimi appear mainly in natural ‘spaces’ and are perceived as threatening to people. Jikim-i, on the other hand, exist in ‘places of living,’ such as homes and villages, and are perceived as sacred. Space universally symbolizes freedom, and people feel a sense of openness in vast spaces. However, this sense of openness can also be intimidating. On the other hand, when space is given definition and meaning, it becomes a ‘place’, which is something people already recognize. These ‘places’ become something that people feel attached to, and they become tolerant of them. This sense of spatiality and place applies not only to spaces and places, but also to the beings that inhabit them. Ishimi appear in natural spaces such as mountains and caves, which are unknown ‘spaces’ that people do not know. Ishimi’s presence in these spaces reinforces people’s fear of the animal nature of snakes. On the other hand, Jikim-i’s presence is in places that people consider ‘meaningful,’ such as homes and villages. As a result, they are perceived as elements that make up the places that people are attached to. As a result, Jikim-i, whose animal form is a snake, is perceived as a sacred being who, unlike Ishimi, is ‘meaningful’ for protecting the home. These perceptions of space and place affect not only snake monster such as ishimi-Jikim-i, but also various representations of them, and the representations of yokai continue to change due to the changing perceptions of space and place in contemporary society.

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