Abstract
Kyung Hee UniversityThe research deals with Korean jangseungs and Lithuanian religious monuments, which include various kinds of Christian crosses, chapels, chapel pillars, and roofed pillars. The latter two are sometimes referred to as chapel pillars and roofed pillars (or collectively, decorative crosses) in English. This research focuses on chapel- pillars and roofed pillarsdecorative crosses only. Such monuments are seen quite often all over both countries, and they attract the eyes of tourists visiting the countries. The shape of the monuments is quite different: Korean jangseungs are pillars with a human-shaped body and the Lithuanian monuments are pillars having many Christian symbols. After deeper analysis, it can be concluded that both monuments are closely related by their functions. They are erected at the boundaries of villages, in the most important places in villages, near roads and dangerous places, etc. These monuments from both countries are supposed to protect the sphere of human life and ensure prosperity, health, a good harvest, etc. They also have strong ties with the veneration of ancestors, still very vivid in these two countries. And since both monuments are pillars, they have deep relations with the world pillar (axis mundi): a belief widely known throughout the world.
Highlights
In terms of geography, language, anthropology, and history, Lithuania and Korea are very distant countries, so it might seem impossible to compare the cultures of the two countries
Korean jangseungs and Lithuanian religious monuments are related to the veneration of dead ancestors
Lithuanian religious monuments are crafted in a multitude of shapes, but because of the widely seen cross or images of Catholic saints, they seem to be of Catholic origins
Summary
Language, anthropology, and history, Lithuania and Korea are very distant countries, so it might seem impossible to compare the cultures of the two countries. They are usually thought to be a kind of cross and are widely distributed with other kinds of religious monuments These pillars are adorned in various ways, clearly showing the influence of Christianity, and relicts of the old religions of Lithuania, which could be considered similar to Korean jangseungs. Since these works of art have either the shape of a cross or have depictions of various Catholic saints, they can be analysed as a pure product of Catholicism Since these works are unique to Lithuania, their roots should be found in Lithuanian culture. It might seem that Lithuanian crosses and Korean jangseungs have nothing in common They look totally different and the only unifying feature of the monuments from the two countries is that they are both constructed from the same material―wood. For historical references concerning Korean jangseungs, I will be citing research by Jongcheol I, Duha Gim, Taesun Bak, etc
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