Younin

God of Death

Younin is the Cunang God of Death. According to legend, he was born from a dead elder tree after a woman buried her spouse's bones by its roots. A magpie peeled off the bark to reveal the God of Death. There are various versions in which another deity or spirit takes the woman's place but the act of burying bones by a tree's roots remains the same.

Younin is often accompanied by the two helper deities Yeong and Mohm, who are responsible for seperating the spirit from the deceased body and guide them into the afterlife.

Divine Domains

Younin represents Death as the form of 'ceasing to live,' whichever the reason might be why one's life has to end at the moment it does. It is said that he often takes on the form of a loved one to inform the deceased that their time on Earth is up.

Since everyone eventually has to die, he is considered a very neutral deity and is one of the most worshipped ones as people hope to prolong their life in that way or to at least earn themselves a more gentle way to die (although Younin's goodwill doesn't have any effect on this.)

Artifacts

Younin's only definitive trait is that he carries a lantern, typically on an Elder branch, or he has a staff made from Elder wood that shines brightly on top, equal to a lantern.

Divine Symbols & Sigils

Depictions of Younin can vary a lot as he supposedly appears differently to every individual. However, if in a human form, he usually is dressed in white, black, grey, or red in the West and purple in the East, and carries a lantern on an Elder stick.

The representative primary flower is the Spider Lily, especially the red and white variants; but the Chrysanthemum is equally as common. The Hydrangea is often used especially in memorial rites for ancestors and the red Camellia for those fallen in battle. In the Western regions, Younin is often shown with purple Asters.

Other reoccuring symbols are lit and snuffed out candles, moths, magpies and other corvids.

Holidays

The 10th Chosaengdal is celebrated as the Day of the Dead and sees many memorial rites and celebrations for Younin and the other deities surrounding death.

by inkythoughts

A typical family altar on the Day of the Dead.

Divine Classification

Elemental Deity

Religions

• Cunang

Church/Cult

Cunang

Pronouns

he/they

Gender

varied