A Shamanic Interpretation of the Folktale Magical Ruler for Healing and Saving Lives
Woojang Sim
June 30, 2026 DOI: 10.22274/koralit.2026.81.001 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study |
|---|---|
| Topics | Mysticism Shamanism |
| Keywords | Ruler Heaven Soul Interpretation philosophy Narrative Symbol formal The symbolic Mythology Aesthetics Literature Subject documents Folk religion Reincarnation Prison Afterlife Divination Jungian analytical psychology |
| Key findings | The folk tale Magical Ruler for Healing and Saving Lives faithfully follows the stages of a shamanic initiation rite, with the ruler serving as an axis mundi and the protagonist's transformation into a spiritual specialist explaining his rise to fortune. |
Abstract
This study analyzes the folk tale Magical Ruler for Healing and Saving Lives from a shamanic perspective to identify the factors behind its enduring transmission and its structural characteristics. The core elements of the tale are deeply intertwined with the shamanic worldview. The ruler or stick is not merely a measurement tool but serves as a spiritual bridge—an axis mundi—that connects heaven and earth and guides the soul back to the body. The act of measuring a corpse with this ruler is a shamanic healing ritual that facilitates the soul’s passage. Likewise, materials such as leaves, stones, and cloth correspond to traditional shamanic ritual objects used for purification and the restoration of life. The rat and the tiger, who provide these sacred objects, function as spirit helpers who guide the shaman’s spiritual journey and impart sacred knowledge. Spaces such as the prison and the cave are interpreted as sacred ritual sites where symbolic death and rebirth occur in isolation from the secular world. The narrative progression of Magical Ruler for Healing and Saving Lives faithfully follows the stages of a shamanic initiation rite. The initial mysterious dream represents the stage of “selection and calling” by supernatural beings. The ensuing hardship—being imprisoned and facing death for refusing to disclose the dream—signifies the “symbolic death” and “ecstatic experience” necessary to shed the secular self and be reborn as a “spiritual being.” Learning healing methods from animals in isolated spaces corresponds to “shamanic education.” Finally, reviving the princess and becoming a royal son-in-law represents the stage of “communal recognition,” where the protagonist proves his spiritual authority to the community. Thus, the servant’s rise to fortune is not a coincidence but an inevitable result of his transformation into a spiritual specialist. The shamanic tradition in Magical Ruler for Healing and Saving Lives is also commonly seen in related folk tales such as The Returned Royal Seal and The One Who Understood Birds. Supernatural powers such as healing, understanding animal speech, and locating lost items are among the core abilities traditionally attributed to shamans. The narrative arc—whereby a protagonist acquires these powers and overcomes immense trials to attain social status—closely mirrors the universal structure of shamanic initiation rites. This tradition contributed to the formation of national foundation myths that reinforced royal authority, while it also evolved into folk narratives centered on the success of lower-class protagonists. As shamanic influence waned, these elements were also adapted into humorous anecdotes. Finally, this study argues that shamanism, as one of humanity’s primordial systems of thought, constitutes a foundational cultural framework underlying many folk narratives.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on shamanism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Plantas con madre": plants that teach and guide in the shamanic initiation process in the East-Central Peruvian Amazon. Curanderos, apprentices, and herbalists in East-Central Peru, including Mestizo,... | 2011 | Qualitative study | n = 36 |
| Purging and the body in the therapeutic use of ayahuasca Healers and participants in shamanic tourism contexts of the Peruvian Amazon and... | 2019 | Ethnography with literature review | n = 227 |
| The Globalization of Ayahuasca Shamanism and the Erasure of Indigenous Shamanism Western tourists and indigenous peoples in Iquitos, Peru | 2016 | Ethnography | |
| Shamanism and Rock Art in Far Western North America Historic hunter-gatherer cultures of California and the Great Basin | 1992 | Ethnographic review and analysis | |
| Working with “La Medicina”: Elements of Healing in Contemporary Ayahuasca Rituals Ayahuasqueros and Western participants in shamanic tourism in Iquitos, Peru | 2012 | Ethnography |