鐵拐李의 由來와 한국적 變容

A Study on the Origin and Korean Transformation of Tie Guai Li(鐵拐李)

This paper aims to assess the origin and Korean transformation of Tie kuai-Li. Especially I focus that why only Li Tie kuai - one of the Eight Immortals is accepted by the Korean masque dance. Li Tie kuai - the master with the Iron Crutch 鐵拐 and a bottle-gourd 葫蘆 offers a striking contrast to the other members of the group. Hideous, hairy, deformed, and scantily clad in filthy rags, he is the type of that repulsive legion preying upon a long-suffering public, which is moved to the giving of alms not so much by pity as by feelings of horror and fear. In the form with which nature endowed him, the sage Tie kuai-Li was a fine man of imposing presence. He set himself to the cultivation of mental and physical purity as taught by the Taoists 修眞. Tie kuai-Li's p'o(魄) remains his abode while his hun (魂) goes upon a journey. Li Tie kuai returned to find his p'o(魄) gone, and no habitation left for his hun(魂), till he espied lying near by the corpse of one who had died of starvation. Into it the wandering soul entered, giving it new life ; and that is the reason why Li Tie kuai, instead of his original handsome appearance, has now the loathsome shape of a cripple. So Tie kuai-Li was regarded as one of Immortals(神仙) characterized by a grotesque appearance and maimed person. In this essay, I try to illuminate Tie kuai-Li as a Perfect person(眞人) and religious charisma for expelling the Mongolian enemy from China in the Yuan dynasty. Therefore, I am considering it in two bearings; the one is the transformation of the nobility in Immortal paintings, the other is the acceptance of the substratum in Korean masque dance. In conclusion, the two upper classes(兩班) of old Korea is living free from worldly cares, but the lower classes(常民) is suffering from birth discrimination. Tie kuai paintings losing the Yuan dynasty's original form in the Chson Immortal paintings are a mirror of the aristocrat of old Korea. On the other hand, intense aspirations of the lower classes is reflected in Korean masque dance - Tie kuai dance, retained its original form. Tie kuai-Li is representative of the ragtag and bobtail, so he was beloved by the poor people. From abnormal situation, they are strongly longing for returning to normal society and drawing a fine picture of their future freedom and liberation.