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영어

The God of Chen Guo-Ren(陳果仁) who was widely worshiped in Jiangnan Zhexi(江南 浙西) Province since Late Tang and Wudai-Shiguo Period is real person who played active role as a General under Shenfaxing(沈法興), a Local Rebellion Force at the end of Sui Dynasty. However, in early authentic history like Jiu Tangshu(舊唐書) and Xin Tangshu(新唐書), it is difficult to find out attractive elements for Chen Guo-Ren to be worshiped as God after his death. How these myths was formed and transmitted as record and continuously affected on collective memory of local community? In this point of view, Suisituchengongshezhaizaosibei Epitaph(隋司徒陳公捨宅造寺碑)of a monk Dexuan(德宣)who would have grown, listening to related epic tales, since he was born in Changzhou(常州), a hometown of Chen Guo-Ren, in the middle of Tang Period, has an important meaning. As a result of comparing and reviewing related myths which appear later with the contents of the epitaph, we can find that most or the results are based on Dexuan's Epitaph. Analyzing the content of the epitaph, we can find that faith activities for Chen Guo-Ren was initially started in the level of solacing the vindictive spirits who was poisoned to death and in commemorating noble lifetime character and contribution, but it has been developed to patron saint who protects local community from natural disaster and epidemic as the image that Chen Guo-Ren protected Zhexi province from rebellion power in confused period at the end of Sui Dynasty and Buddhism shape who threw off secular pomps and glories was superscribed. The point that shows new trace of growth of the Cult of Chen Guo-Ren is at the Late of war-battered Tang Dynasty, and in this period the God of Chen Guo-Ren grew to the God of war. Rebirth as the God of war has close relationship with epochal feature in later period of Tang Dynasty, and generals whose then social influence was increasing appeared as strong supporter of the God of Chen Guo-Ren. As Gao-Pian(高騈) who put rebel forces of Pei-Ju(裵璩) or Huang-Shao( 黃巢)to rout, who also repressed 'rebellion of Wang-Ying(王郢), generals held rites that requests help of Chen Guo-Ren prior to participating in war. Of course, upon victory they offered thanks prayer in return for receiving help, and sometimes they built new shrine, and as a result the Cult of Chen Guo-Ren was fast spread to entire Zhexi(浙西) province. The God of Chen Guo-Ren who saved local community from disaster was now born again as the God of war who safely protects local community from rebel forces. Like this, as the Cult of Chen Guo-Ren was expanded to entire area of Zhexi, provincial regimes also got to express their deep interest in the Cult of Chen Guo-Ren. Moreover, Wuyue(吳越) Dynasty who found a nation centered with various local celebrities of this area regarded local faith as more important. After conquering Changzhou(常州) and Runzhou(潤州), the base of the Cult of Chen Guo-Ren, Wuyue(吳越) held rite at the same shrine as Wu Zi-Xu(伍子胥) shrine who was another object of worship at that time by intentionally bringing in local God statue of the Chen Guo-Ren. Qian-Liu(錢鏐), a person with authority of that time, held thanking rite by saying that the God of Chen Guo-Ren helped army of Wuyue by sending god's army and ordered to officially build shrine of Chen Guo-Ren in every state. It reflects that the God of Chen Guo-Ren was officially acknowledged as 'National God' of Wuyue along with the God of Wu Zi-Xu. What's interesting is the fact that the God of Chen Guo-Ren was also officially recognized by neighboring hostile power Nantang(南唐) at later half period of Wudai Period. At this period the God of Chen Guo-Ren received the highest level of Granting of Titles called Fushunwuliewang(福順武烈王) and Wuliedi(武烈帝), and it is related to the fact that Wuyue and Nantang constantly competed with each other upon Zhexi area. Of course, this reflects that provincial regimes of that time think highly of local popular cults, and at the same time it also implies that the tomb which enshrines the God of Chen Guo-Ren became the center of local network which was newly being formed at that time.