Chulcheo

Chulcheo (출처) is the indigenous religion of Metzetta. Chulcheo is polytheistic and is the traditionally accepted explanation for the origin of the universe and the human race in Metzetta. Deities are worshipped in the home but mostly at shrines staffed by Chulcheo priests, who act under the direction of the High Priest of Metzetta. The High Priest was traditionally one of the most influential figures in the nation but now holds a purely ceremonial position within the government; the position of High Priest is usually inherited by one of the officeholder's sons. Chulcheo was formally separated from the state under Emperor Daeku. Despite being the most prevalent religion in Metzetta, aside from a few cults it is rarely practiced abroad. Many Metzettan Buddhists are also followers of Chulcheo, demonstrating an unusual ability for two religions to be followed simultaneously. It is difficult to separate Chulcheo from the legendary early Emperors of Meseda-jo, so intertwined are the religion and history of the country.

Beliefs
The progenitor of all things in Chulcheo is Nalag, the primordial force of chaos. From Nalag came Sim-yeon, the god of the sea, and Haneul, goddess of the sky. Sim-yeon and Haneul's child was Hwasan, a great bear who raised the land from the sea and raised the mountains above the land. Hwasan created Ip, who placed the plants upon the land, Uloe who caused thunder and lightning, and Ugi, the rain god. Before retreating to the Moon, Nalag also created Majimag, the god of death and Taeyang, the sun. Majimag in turn created Ssaum, the god of war. Taeyang had 3 daughters: Hwajae, the goddess of love and fire; Jihye, the goddess of knowledge; and Won-in, the goddess of fertility. Jihye became the mother of the demigods, while Won-in gave birth to all the beasts and animals of the land.

Ssaum and Hwajae had a daughter; Dalrae, the first woman. This is the mythical origin of the human race. Dalrae and the demigod of the stars, Byeol, had many children, the first of whom was Yang, the founder of Meseda-jo and one of the most important figures in Metzettan legend. From these few figures all the men and women of the world are said to be descended. While it is not true in reality than the human race originated in Metzetta, this origin tale indicates that the people of other lands went forth from Metzetta to found their respective countries.

The Metzettans were canny about editing the identities of Dalrae's children; very few were mentioned specifically in the Iyagi-seda, so going forward an "unused" child was often used to explain where newly discovered countries had originated. After conquering Hyuntoji and Daekang, the ancient Mesedans wrote their new lands into their history to strengthen their claim over their new territory. High-ranking clans wrote themselves into later versions of the story to cement their places in the aristocracy.

Nalag
The primordial force of chaos, Nalag (나락) is described in ambiguous terms and commonly understood to be either formless or incomprehensible to humans, placed in its own category above any other gods as the prime mover. While Nalag had a presence on the Earth at one time, it retreated to the moon after creating Majimag and Taeyang. Nalag is almost never worshipped directly and archaeological evidence of Nalag shrines have been found only once in the ancestral homeland of the Jaenan Clan. Nalag directly created Sim-yeon, Haneul, Majimag and Taeyang, representing the sea, the sky, death and the sun respectively. These four gods are considered particularly powerful.

Sim-yeon
Sim-yeon (심연) is the ancient god of the sea, an incomparably huge red whale who causes the tides, waves and currents by flapping his tail. One of the original two gods created by Nalag when he separated the sea from the sky, ending the age of chaos. Sim-yeon and Haneul had a child known as Hwasan. Shrines dedicated to Sim-yeon are especially prominent along the coastline of Metzetta.

Haneul
The ancient goddess of the sky, Haneul (헨을) is an unbelievably massive bird whose flapping wings cause the winds to blow. One of the original two gods created by Nalag when he separated the sea from the sky, ending the age of chaos. Shrines dedicated to Haneul are especially prominent among Metzetta's many mountains and hills.

Hwasan
The god of the mountains, he raised the land from the sea and raised the mountains above the land. Hwasan (화산) took the form of a giant bear. After raising Mount Riwa, Hwasan climbed the mountain, stopping along the way to form three goddesses; from the clay at the mountain's base he formed Ip, from the rocks he found he created Uloe, and from the snow at the peak he formed Ugi.

Ip
Created by Hwasan, Ip (입) seeded the Earth with its many plants. She is a minor goddess but receives special attention during Chusu, the harvest festival. Typically depicted as an unusually tall woman with green hair, holding a flower.

Uloe
Created by Hwasan, Uloe (울외) causes thunder and lightning to scare away Majimag's demons. She is a minor goddess but receives special attention during Seahae, the new year's celebrations, when fireworks imitating thunder and lightning are released in her honour. Typically depicted as an unusually tall woman with yellow hair, holding a drum.

Ugi
Created by Hwasan, Ugi (우기) is the bringer of rain which waters Ip's crops. She is a minor goddess but receives special attention during the summer solstice, which typically falls just before the monsoon season in Metzetta. Typically depicted as an unusually tall woman with blue hair, holding a vase.

Majimag
Taking the form of a skeleton who puffs a pipe until the smoke forms demons, Majimag (마지막) is the god of death. Created by Nalag before leaving for the moon, Majimag is said to reside in a desolate underworld. He also created Ssaum, the god of war.

Taeyang
Taeyang (대양) is the goddess of the sun; she resides in the sky supplying mankind with light and warmth during the day, allowing Nalag to watch over his creation from the moon at night. She was directly created by Nalag before his departure. Taeyang sent her 3 daughters back to Earth; they were Hwajae, Jihye and Won-in. She is a major goddess and receives special attention during Gaehwa, the blossom festival. When depicted (which is unusual) she is shown as an unusually tall woman with black hair, holding a staff with prayer tags and enveloped by a sphere of light representing the sun; usually she is simply viewed as the sun itself.

Ssaum
Ssaum (싸움)was created by Majimag, and is the god of war. He was Yang-jo's grandfather, and father of Dalrae, the first woman. He is typically depicted as a muscle-bound man with an abnormally large sword.

Hwajae
The goddess of love and fire, one of Taeyang's 3 daughters. She was Yang-jo's grandmother, and mother of Dalrae, the first woman. Hwajae (화재) is usually depicted as a woman with four arms.

Jihye
The goddess of knowledge, one of Taeyang's 3 daughters. Jihye (지혜) is usually depicted as a winged woman. She gave birth to the myriad demigods of the world.

Won-in
One of Taeyang's 3 daughters, she gave birth to all the beasts and animals of the land. Won-in (원인) is usually depicted as half-woman, half-cow.

Mythical humans
Dalrae (달래) was the first human ever born, and was the mother of Metzetta's first Emperor. Her parents were Ssaum (the God of war) and Hwajae (the goddess of love). Together with Byeol (별), the demigod of the stars, she had 111 children; this is the origin of the human race in Chulcheo. She is said to have lived for 151 years. Shortly after the birth of Yang (양), a bear is said to have threatened Dalrae's child; in response she slaughtered the bear and prepared a blanket for her baby from its hide.

Yang-jo was the country's first supposed emperor and the first man ever born, however it is almost certain he never really existed, or at least the stories written about him were greatly exaggerated tales about someone else entirely. He is said to have reigned for 55 years from 2333 BC to 2278 BC and married his sister Alemdaun. He had six children and 16 grandchildren. The first 50 emperors are all considered fictitious by modern scholars. Emperor Doekan is the first ruler considered to have existed beyond a reasonable doubt.

Demigods
Jihye's children, there were countless demigods associated with all manner of natural phenomena. The most famous among them was Byeol, the demigod who placed the stars in the sky as a sign of his affection for Dalrae, who became the father of Yang-jo the first man.

Priests
Chulcheo is headed by the High Priest of Metzetta. All shrines are staffed by priests and priestesses, as well as shrine maidens. Some minor shrines may be staffed and maintained by only a single priest. Priests often hand their positions over to their children on retirement, and can be trained at specific universities such as Wincheon Theological University.

Holidays
Saehae (새해), Gaehwa (개화), Chusu (추수) and the Summer Solstice all heavily revolve around Chulcheo in Metzetta. Pilgrimages to specific shrines are common and rites are performed by priests across the country.

Sacred places
Mount Riwa is among the holiest of sites in Chulcheo's mythology, specifically mentioned many times in various tales including its origin as a creation of Hwasan, who created three goddesses while ascending to the peak. Hanuel is said to have rested at the very precipice of the mountain while collecting offerings from Dalrae. Metzetta's lakes were said to be formed when Ugi brought the first rains to the land, particularly the largest lake, Ugi-ui Hosu (literally The Lake of Ugi) which bears her name. Shrines are plentiful around the shores of the lakes and while few structures are permitted on Mount Riwa, shrines do exist there including a dedicated tanso shrine for housing one part of the Imperial Regalia when not in use for coronation ceremonies.

Texts
Iyagi-seda/ingan/segye

Modern times
Chulcheo continues into the modern day, albeit without the stranglehold it once held over the nation. While the youth are tending to move away from religion entirely and only participate in festivals out of tradition, the older generation still maintain their steadfast beliefs.