It is well known that ritual is a religious behavior that reflect the thinking structure of people of a certain time. Especially it is noticeable that there are some historical records including Samgukji(三國志) and Samguksagi(三國史記) in which the existence of two national feasts held in Koguryo, "Dongmaeng(東盟祭)" and "Susin(隧神祭)," and the royal shrine for the founder of Koguryo was described. In addition to this, however, other sources, such as Juseo(周書) and Buksa(北史) tell the new existence of national religious ritual, "the Royal Shrine(神廟)" without showing "Dongmaeng" and "Susin." This paper seeks to approach these characteristics of changes in national ritual of Koguryo within a huge historical picture. To do this, this essay, firstly, has tried to categorize the specific aspect of divinity of Dongmaeng, Susin, and the Royal Shrine, and, secondly, to demonstrate that the system of the national rites of Koguryo had been transformed over centuries, ending up showing that the Royal shrine for the founder of Koguryo had been substituted for two national feasts, as the national ritual over a couple of centuries. This resulted in the fact that the ascendancy of the Royal shrine over the other two rituals influenced the development of Koguryo oriented worldview.
In chapter Ⅰ, this study set out to redefine the divinities of Dongmaeng and Susin in third-century Koguryo. It illustrates that the heavenly god(cheonsin) served at Dongmaeng was a comprehensive concept which maintained all things all around the world, Dongmaeng was a national ceremony in the highest position in Koguryo. In the case of the feast of Susin, it took the form of enshrining Susin(隧神) in Kukdongdaehyeol(國東大穴), a kind of big cave in the eastern part of the kingdom, after holding the rite of resurrection of Susin. In Koguryo, Susin was the mother goddess who, taking the shape of the tree sacred to the gods(神木) with the attributes of the god of cave, took charge of upper and underworld.
The characteristics and changes of the system of religious rites are focused in the chapter II. First, with comparative research on the statements of ritual in 『三國志』, 『魏書』, 『周書』, and 『北史』, it is remarkably shown that, while the descriptions of Susin was disappeared, the records of the Royal Shrine and Eomsa(淫祀) increased, from the period appeared in 『魏書』. It means that there were changes in the system of Koguryo’s rituals. The analysis of the record of March in the ninth year of the King Gogukyang(故國壤王)’s reign to understand the specific aspects of these changes suggests that there occurred the rearrangement of both system of thought and ritual system at that time, and these transformations was the foundation for development of the Royal shrine.
Chapter Ⅲ addresses the divinity of the Royal shrine, comparing the priests who served for founder of Koguryo, and re-evaluates the formative years of the Royal shrine and background of name of god(神名) in the context of Koguryo society. The religious belief of founder constructed with social changes in fourth century was completed after development of the Royal shrine. Deunggoshin(登高神) which was served in shrine had divinity as heavenly god, and Buyeoshin(扶餘神) as mother goddess. With this religious belief for the founder, consequently, Koguryo could proclaim himself the kingdom of heavenly sons(天孫國), and develop his own superior world view which reflected the hierarchy of states revolving around Koguryo.