Exorcism parade for pandemic-hit merchants

Exorcism parade for pandemic-hit merchants

A modern adaptation of "narye," a rite to ward off evil spirits in the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), takes place near Changdeokgung Palace in Seoul on May 15, 2022, to support local merchants struck by COVID-19. Narye was traditionally performed by masked officiants in the Joseon era and gradually grew into a ceremony to resist a broader array of negative influences, including contagious diseases and various spirits believed to be responsible for social and personal disasters. (Yonhap)

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