A Study on the Structure and Transmission of Folk Belief through Oral Histories of the Busu-dong Mokshinje

This research investigates the Mokshinje ritual in Busu-dong, Daedeok-gu, Daejeon, through a comprehensive ethnographic study based on oral history interviews and symbolic anthropological analysis. The Mokshinje, a tree-centered village ritual historically conducted to pray for peace and prosperity, embodies Korea's ecological and communal worldview. Through testimony from elder participants and fieldwork at the ritual site, the study analyzes the ritual’s structural components, symbolic meanings, and patterns of transmission and transformation. Findings reveal that while the ritual has undergone procedural simplification and a shift from communal to individual participation, it remains a vital medium for expressing cultural memory and community identity. This study concludes that sustainable transmission of the Mokshinje requires reinterpretation within contemporary cultural conditions, diversification of transmission agents, and strategic integration into eco-cultural and digital heritage frameworks.