Mushindo - Ritual Pictures of Shamanic Deities and Spirits

Mushindo (무신도 巫神圖) are pictures of Korean shamanic deities and spirits. But more than that, they are seen as embodying the deities that are depicted. The deity's spirit resides in the image and therefore it is regarded as a sacred object in itself. Every Mudang has her own pantheon of personal deities who work through her, and she possesses individual images of each one. These paintings are kept above the altar in the Mudang's personal shrine (Shindang 신당), and they will be brought and displayed when the Mudang goes to perform a Gut in some other location. Sometimes these Mushindo are passed down from an elder Manshin to her chosen disciple, but usually they are burned at her death, thus returning the deity to the spirit world. Mushindo are often painted by the Mudang herself, and are regarded as an important part of Korean folk arts, but they may also be painted by professionals, and these days they are commercially available and can even be ordered on-line. 
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