Sea deity beliefs of the Kuroshio oceanic cultural sphere: maritime traditions and cultural interaction among Jeju Island, Zhoushan Archipelago, and the Ryukyu Islands

• Main Authors: Nam-chun Heo, Hyun-jeung Lee
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: University of Prince Edward Island 2018-05-01
• Series: Island Studies Journal
• Subjects: jeju island; korea; kuroshio current; maritime traditions; oceanic cultural sphere; ryukyu islands; sea deity beliefs; zhoushan archipelago

This study analyzes sea the deity myths of Jeju Island (Korea), the Zhoushan Archipelago (China), and the Ryukyu Islands and Kyushu Region (Japan). The folk culture permeating this region is a common creation produced by long-term interactions among the islands via the Kuroshio Current, starting with primordial sea imagery. Jeju, on the last branch of the Kuroshio Current, was positioned to embrace the cultures of the Korean Peninsula, the Japanese archipelago, and north and south China. Jeju’s people had opportunities to absorb oceanic culture, such as oceanic beliefs, myths, and rituals that moved along the maritime route. However, Jeju’s historical political relations, such as conflict, negotiation, conquest, and submission, shaped and supplemented the maritime traditions. The religious system slowly changed over time, and yet the islanders maintained a sense of identity derived from the ocean. This collective identity relates to the fact that many elements of the Kuroshio oceanic cultural sphere simultaneously existed on various small regional islands across the region.