DI00000100
SHAMANISM, THE DISTINCTIVE CULTURAL HERITAGE OF KOREA
Korean shamanism is a collective term to designate a religious folk tradition that includes private, domestic, and communal rituals. Shamanism is an accumulation of five thousand years of Korean life, thought, and culture, so it is a representative folk belief of Korean society. It also has played a key role as a carrier of traditional culture, such as music, dance, myth, and epic poetry. Furthermore, most Koreans, even though many of them are skeptical about shamanism these days, believe that shamanism helps preserve the deep-rooted national ethos. Indeed, the influence of shamanism is so prevalent that one might say that the worldview and symbolism found in shamanism constitutes Korea’s fundamental religious system.
Yong-Shik Lee Professor, Chonnam National University
2012