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Chilmeoridang Yeongdeunggut



Chilmeoridang Yeongdeunggut is an annual ritual held in the second lunar month that prays for a calm sea, abundant harvest, and abundant sea catches. The ritual is held at the village of Gun-rip, and is representative of similar rites held across the island of Jeju in the Republic of Korea. During the time of Yeongdeung, rites are observed to pray for calm seas and abundance in the sea. One of the most significant ceremonies is at the Chilmeoridang Shrine, known as the Jeju Chilmeoridang Yeongdeunggut. The name implies that the ceremony is for the Goddess of Wind, but it is also a ceremony to honor village guardian gods and the Dragon King of the sea. In addition to being revered, Yeongdeung has also created a sense of fear as she threatens the lives of people by stirring the sea.

From early to mid-February, the sea is particularly turbulent on the island. People believe the goddess removes the contents of the shellfish as she leaves. However, during her departure, the goddess also sows seeds along the shore to ensure people's livelihood. The sea is purified to facilitate the growth of the seeds. The goddess is therefore highly revered by the islanders. Because of this, importance has been placed on the time of her stay. At the Chilmeoridang Shrine, people began marking the occasion by performing a ceremony calling for safety, abundant sea harvests and a couple of deities, such as Yeongdeung and the Magistrate and the Sea Goddess known as the Dragon King's Wife. It was named after the village where it is located.

The Yeondeung Welcome Rite includes a ceremony to call the gods, prayers for successful fishing, and a three-act drama performance to entertain the ancestral gods. Two weeks later, Yeondeung's Farewell Rite is celebrated, with an offering of drinks and rice cakes, a ceremony to welcome the Dragon King, fortune telling with millet seeds, and the departure of a straw boat into the sea by its men. Though the ritual is performed by shamans, the real owners are female divers and ship owners, together known as dangols, who are involved in preparing food for the rite and sacrificing animals. As they reach their teens, the divers begin collecting marine delicacies from the ocean floor; therefore, they always wish to be safe and have abundant seas. Their existence contributes to the preservation of Yeongdeunggut.

The current situation in which the world is increasingly integrated makes shamanism of today of special importance as it reflects the real values of cultural heritage elements that are characteristic of each cultural region. Korea, a country with the highest economic growth rate in the world, is experiencing rapid socio-cultural changes as a result of a variety of factors, including the introduction of Western culture. Nevertheless, Korea's approach to preserving intangible cultural heritage is regarded as a model of systematic preservation. Korea has been making efforts to safeguard the intangible cultural heritage related to shamanism at the state level and the heritage elements have been promoted throughout the world as intrinsic national symbols.

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