태백 장명사 탄광산업재해순직자위령재 특징과 불교사적 의미 - 태백탄광촌 불교포교사 고찰 -

This study investigates the Buddhist historical significance of Jangmyeongsa, a temple of the Jogye Order, entrusted for over 80 years (Founded in 1945) with managing the memorial tablet repository at Jangseong Mine, established by the Korea Coal Corporation. The temple conducts annual Buddhist Rites for the Deceased (慰靈齋) for miners who have died in industrial accidents and enshrines 1,014位 of the deceased from three major coal mines (長省, 咸白, 寧越). This site is the largest Buddhist spirit tablet repository in Korea dedicated to victims of coal mining industrial accidents. The ritual, held every Dano (端午), is a state-level joint ceremony hosted by the Korea Coal Corporation and presided over by Jangmyeongsa. These rites provide bereaved families with a transformative experience structured through a process of remembrance (追慕), memory (記憶), and reflection (省察). The Buddhist Rite for the Deceased (慰靈齋) blends traditional Buddhist transcendental rites (薦度儀式), the ancestral Muhuje (無後祭), and local folk culture. The ritual has fivefold significance: (1) the largest Buddhist memorial site for industrial victims, (2) state recognition through corporate hosting and Buddhist officiation, (3) the synthesis of Buddhist and regional culture, (4) an inclusive space for mourning, and (5) a community-based rite involving bereaved families, workers, and locals. Departing from production-centered historiography, this study foregrounds the emotional and ritual dimensions of mining death from third-party perspectives particularly families and Buddhism.