Jeju Customs during the Joseon Dynasty : Re-examining Shamanism as a Cultural Phenomenon
Society For Jeju Studies, Jina Choi
제주도연구 February 28, 2026 DOI: 10.47520/jjs.2026.65.185 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Historical analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Shamanism |
| Key points | Argues that Jeju shamanism was not an "improper rite" but a cultural phenomenon actively embraced and sustained by Jeju's people. The author contends that Joseon-era critical records paradoxically preserve the closest testimony to Jeju's shrines, deities, and rituals, and that shamanism survived state exclusion, including early 18th-century shrine demolition, remaining embedded in people's lives and resilient in the 21st century. |
Abstract
This study reexamines Jeju shamanism, which was thoroughly marginalized as an “improper rite” by the ruling powers of the Joseon Dynasty, as an agentic cultural phenomenon. It has been confirmed that the critical records of shamanism appearing in historical records of the Joseon Dynasty are, paradoxically, a treasure trove of historical records that most closely testify to the aspects of Jeju’s shrines, deities, and rituals at the time. The study found that Jeju shrines were originally credible sanctuaries within the “Four Great National Halls” system, where prayers were prayed for maritime safety. However, with the strengthening of Neo-Confucianism in the mid-Joseon period, they became targets of authoritarian exclusion. Despite Lee Hyeong-sang’s drastic policy of demolition in the early 18th century, shamanism remained deeply embedded in the lives of the people, demonstrating a resilience that surpasses its past scale in the 21st century. Furthermore, the ‘simbang’, ritual officiating priests in Jeju, exhibited a unique gender ratio with a higher proportion of men unlike mainland counterparts. This distinct structure played a key role in establishing Jeju’s cultural identity. Shamanistic rituals served as a vital support for the Jeju people’s survival in their harsh natural environment, and as a practical tool for fostering social cohesion within the community. This study holds significance in demonstrating that Jeju shamanism, which was subject to intense state oppression such as the abolition of Shindang shrines during the Joseon Dynasty and was othered by the ruling class, was not merely an “improper rite”, but rather an objective cultural phenomenon actively embraced and sustained by the Jeju people.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on shamanism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ayahuasca Shamanism in the Amazon and Beyond | 2014 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Shamanism as the Original Neurotheology | 2004 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Cognitive Neuroscience, Shamanism and the Rock Art of Native California | 1998 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| From Culture to Experience: Shamanism in the Pages of the Soviet Anti-Religious Press | 2020 | Historical analysis | |
| Anthropology, Shamanism, and Alternate Ways of Knowing–Being in the World: One Anthropologist's Journey of Discovery and Transformation | 2010 | Reflective essay or personal narrative |