일본 역신 설화 속의 도래인 : 재일한인의 원류를 찾아서

Abstract

Japan has many myths and legends which tell us that plagues are believed to a disaster caused by God’s wrath. Surprisingly, when looking at Japanese myths and folklore related with the God of Epidemics, we find that many traditions have a deep relation to those of settlers who came from Korea. This mythology captures both the lives of the settlers from Korea and broader cultural aspects of the era. The myths also describe them more vividly than most historical medical literature. During the early years of ancient Japan, settlers from overseas spread advanced science and technology such as agriculture, metalworking, and porcelain, as well as abstract cultural advances such as deeper knowledge, thought, religion and architectural design. As a result, they were naturally welcomed and respected. However, settlers from overseas were also seen uninvited guests bringing plagues and disasters to the natives who were wary of exotic things. Nevertheless, through myths and folklore we can find that settlers from Korea, embedded in Japanese society, kept their traditional faith and were able to enhance the status of gods to that of guardians of the people, protecting against diseases and disasters as well as bringing blessings. This paper tries to trace the vestiges of ancient settlers from Korea through Japanese myths which originate from Korean residents in Japan. Studying Japanese myths reveals fierce lives of ancient settlers from Korea, which were deeply rooted in the native communities of Japan. Hopefully, this will help develop a more positive relationship between Korean residents in Japan and native Japanese people.