[K-Women Talk] The Shaman Yeongmae, Known as the Maitreya Buddha of Joseon

Despised Yet Shaped Society
Revered Despite Being Branded as Rebels
The Influence of a Woman Who Alarmed the State

Shamans, as figures existing outside the Confucian system, were often the targets of disdain, yet at the same time, they continued to be beloved by many. Whenever people fell ill or their loved ones faced hardship, comfort was sought from shamans?ranging from the royal palace to the lowest classes?who were called upon to pray for blessings and drive away misfortune. At times, shamans even stepped into the spotlight, becoming central figures in events that shook society.

In 1758, rumors spread throughout Hwanghae Province that a "living Buddha," or Saengbul, had appeared. The protagonist was a woman from Geumcheon in Hwanghae Province, a shaman known as Yeongmae. Maitreya Buddha was believed to be a savior who would appear in the distant future to save all beings. Because life was so difficult for many, people fervently hoped for the arrival of Maitreya. As a result, there were quite a few throughout history who claimed to be Maitreya themselves. Yeongmae went so far as to subjugate all the other shamans in the province, making them submit to her authority.

"If the living Buddha has already come, why do you call upon spirits?" Upon hearing Yeongmae's words, the other shamans discarded and sold their ritual knives and bells, which reportedly weighed as much as 10,000 nyang. Since these knives and bells were sacred ritual tools, this meant they abandoned their spirits and chose to follow Yeongmae instead.

This development greatly alarmed the Joseon court. In a Confucian nation like Joseon, the emergence of not just one but three female Maitreya Buddhas was unthinkable and utterly unacceptable.

"The entire province has been swept away by a single word from this wicked woman, so it is clear she is no ordinary villain," King Yeongjo remarked, recognizing the gravity of the situation. He compared Yeongmae to the Trung sisters, heroines from Vietnam who fought against China. This was not intended as praise, but rather as a warning, citing examples of women who had rebelled against the state. There were many precedents of movements that began as religious causes but grew into rebellious forces.

As a result, the Joseon court dispatched a royal inspector directly to Hwanghae Province to investigate the situation. Yeongmae was arrested in Gaegyeong while she was traveling around Hwanghae Province to spread her teachings and was on her way to Geumgangsan. By then, Yeongmae's reputation had spread so widely that when the military officers came to arrest her, crowds of commoners gathered like clouds, joining their hands in prayer and bowing to her.

Some even said, "She is the living Buddha, so she cannot be killed by the sword." Eventually, Boknandae and Yeongji were also arrested and interrogated. Under Joseon law, deceiving the people was a serious crime punishable by death. Yeongmae was executed by beheading, Boknandae died in prison after failing to withstand harsh interrogation, and Yeongji was exiled to Heuksando.

With the swift and harsh response of the Joseon dynasty, the Maitreya Buddha incident was suppressed?or so it is said. Records indicate that those who truly believed Yeongmae to be Maitreya were shocked to realize she was just an ordinary person after her death. However, the official report of this incident was read once before King Yeongjo and then immediately burned. This was a clear expression of the determination not to leave any record of the event.

Nevertheless, people saw, heard, and recorded what happened. Chae Jegong, who served as the magistrate of Icheon in Hwanghae Province at the time, heard stories about the living Buddha from the people. They wished that "Maitreya Buddha would bring blessings and cure illnesses, and hoped she would not be arrested," and "hoped she would come to their village." Before examining the circumstances behind this living Buddha incident, one cannot help but wonder: What kind of woman was this confident figure who declared herself Maitreya and commanded the shamans of Hwanghae Province? There were many self-proclaimed Maitreya Buddhas before and after, but never again was there a woman who so unsettled the state that the authorities themselves burned the records. She was, indeed, a dangerously subversive and mysterious person.

Lee Han, historical writer