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The cult of the Seven Stars of the Northern Dipper in Korea: evolution and transformation
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Yuri Grigorievich Smertin
Kuban State University, Krasnodar
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Submitted:
July 24, 2026
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Abstract.
The study aims to identify the key stages in the evolution of the doctrinal tenets and ritual practices of the Chinese cult of the Seven Stars of the Northern Dipper (Ursa Major) as they manifested under the influence of historical processes, political movements, and intellectual transformations in Korea from the 7th to the 19th centuries. Based on an analysis of historical sources and relevant scholarly literature, the transformation of this Taoist cult under the influence of Buddhism and folk beliefs, as well as its popularity and significance for Koreans of various social strata and eras, are traced. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the fact that, utilizing primary sources, it presents the first comprehensive analysis of a doctrine that is vital for understanding the distinctive features of the Korean national worldview. The study found that the Taoist ritual of the Seven Stars (Chilsong), eventually adapted by widespread Buddhism, was used in Korea by representatives of various social classes, who prayed to the Big Dipper for the fulfillment of various desires, such as the birth of a child, longevity, material well-being, and rebirth in a Buddhist paradise.
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Key words and phrases:
Чхильсон
даосский культ
Семь звезд Северного Ковша
религиозный синкретизм
народные верования
Chilsong
Taoism
Seven Stars of the Northern Dipper
religious syncretism
folk beliefs
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