12 Epic Myths of Jeju Island
Sacred Songs of the Simbang Shamans : Origins of the Heavens, Earth, Gods & Goddesses
Click here to order for delivery by December 12th, 2026
These central ancient myths of Jeju are still memorized by all the island’s shamans today, recited during ceremonies to appease the spirits and divine their will. They are epic narratives that recount Jeju’s indigenous origin stories of the cosmos, gods, goddesses and shamanic traditions. The myths tell of conflicts and resolutions between shamans, Buddhists and Confucians, outline the beginnings and development of the island’s shamanic practices, and relate the stories of its guardian spirits. The stories are chanted, sung, danced to and played out in costume by the island’s shamans with a mixture of gravity and levity, blending the sacred and profane; they are presented here for the first time in a complete English translation.
Discover:
- how the cosmos was created through the communion of yin and yang
- how order was brought to chaos
- how the human and spirit worlds became separated
- what happened to the two suns and two moons of the ancient sky
- how the daughter of the Dragon King lost her position as the Life-Giving Goddess to the daughter of the King of Longevity
- how the Goddess of Vitality brought the God of Smallpox to his knees
- who the first shamans were and how the shamanic rituals first took form
- how the Caretaker of the Flower Garden of the Western Heavens came to power
- how a pair of beggars became fabulously wealthy and loss it all
- how a mortal man crossed into the spirit world and became the Messenger of Death
- the significance of crows and other animals in the spiritual milieu of Jeju Island
- how a poor man cheated destiny and lived for 3,000 years
- how a virtuous woman overcame tragedy to be reborn as a flock of birds
- how a clever crossdressing princess and her groom became the god and goddess of agriculture
- how the gods and goddesses who rule over the houses of Jeju gained their places
- where the flowers of degeneration, destruction, rebirth and laughter may be found
- how seven young foreign serpents arrived in Jeju and became central figures of its pantheon
Table of Contents
一 The Lord of the Heavens and Earth
二 The Goddess of Vitality
三 The Queen of the West
四 The Three Ancestors
五 The Caretaker
六 Miss Wooden Bowl
七 The Mortal Messenger of Death
八 Samani
九 Miss Jijang
十 Princess Prayerborn
十一 Master Nam
十二 The Seven Star Serpents
12 Epic Myths of Jeju Island is an English translation of the work of Professors Hyun Yong-Joon and Hyun Seung-Hwan, who published the myths in their original Jeju language form along with translations into standard modern Korean. Each myth is accompanied by extensive explanatory notes and hundreds of color photographs of Jeju Island taken by the author.
