Considerations of Jeju’s Stone Culture

Jeju stone culture is a representative culture of the Jeju people, reflecting their perception of stones symbolized through their life experiences. In religious legends or geomantic tales, stones possess sacredness or function as objects of taboo and exorcism. In natural legends, stones as megaliths symbolize the tragedies of Jeju people's lives. In human legends, stones emphasize women's chastity and virtue. In folk songs, stones are borrowed or used as metaphors to express thoughts and emotions. As inanimate objects, stones represent solidity and dullness, and the metaphorical emotions are firmly pessimistic. Stone tools take advantage of strong friction, water resistance, and fire safety. In agriculture, the batdam (farmland stone walls) signifies the recognition of ownership and a boundary. As historical relics, stone structures like jatseong for raising livestock highlight the entire island as a national ranch. In folk beliefs, stones are worshiped and prayed to, with examples like dolmireuk (stone Maitreya) or bultap (stone pagoda) being objects of devotion for the desire to bear and raise children and for healing illness.