• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.108 no.3
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• pp.372-381
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• 2019

This study was conducted to find proof for the hypothesis that the God tree of Chosun has been misrepresented in Chosun-Gersu-Nosu-Myungmokji (CGNM). The following results were obtained. First, it was established that 64 species and 3170 trees were recorded in CGNM. An old, big tree is classified as a God tree if linked to it there are testimonies and legends about divine elements, and it is classified as a Noble tree if linked to it there are testimonies and legends of historical elements. In total, 2632 trees of eight species were analyzed, from the Zelkova serrata, which has the greatest number of trees, to the eighth most frequent, Abies holophylla. The means of diameter at breast height (DBH), height, and age of the God and the Noble trees were calculated for each of the eight species. In seven out of eight species, the DBH and age of the Noble tree were more than those of the God tree. In addition, the height of the Noble tree was more than that of the God tree in six out of eight species. The fact that the God tree is smaller than the Noble tree, contrary to the common expectation that the Noble tree is a small size tree, was confirmed. This hypothesis was proved by the data gathered. Second, the Japanese Government-General of Korea has pursued a policy to defeat the village ritual based on the God tree being linked with superstition. For such a policy, the God tree should be small and unattractive, and it would have been good for the tree to be superstitious. The CGNM was created as explanatory material or evidence for distorting the sacredness of the God tree of Chosun. Third, CGNM compiled a chronological order of DBH data to make it easy to explain the fabricated facts that the God tree of Chosun is smaller and dwarfed compared to the Noble tree.