The Segyeong bonpuri, a Jeju shamanic narrative, tells how the resourceful Jacheongbi becomes a deity associated with farming. She disguises herself as a young man to pursue learning, meets Mundoryeong, and faces a series of trials with unusual independence. Her story connects crops and agricultural work with courage, ingenuity and choices. The tale is preserved through ritual storytelling, not as a documented biography.
Stories
- First published
- Oct 23, 2026
Jacheongbi and Segyeong Halmang: Jeju's Farming Goddess
The Segyeong bonpuri, a Jeju shamanic narrative, tells how the resourceful Jacheongbi becomes a deity associated with farming.
This feature interprets an oral tradition documented by Jeju's provincial government. It is not a report of a current event or a scientifically verified supernatural occurrence.
01
What we're seeing
Its distinctive theme links a woman's search for knowledge to the imagined origins of farming.
02
What we still don't know
Variants may differ across tellers and villages. Mythic events, powers and explanations of landforms are not independently verified history or science.