동아시아에서는 줄다리기가 전승되고 있으며, 한국도 그 문화권에 속한다. 한국의 줄다리기는 정월대보름(1.15)의 동제에서 연희되는데 비하여 이웃나라인 일본에서는 추수기의 풍년제(8.15)에서 줄다리기를 연희하는 특징이 있다. 한국과 일본의 줄다리기는 볏짚으로 줄을 만들어 사용고, 줄의 상징과 연희 방식도 기본적으로는 같다. 줄다리기는 외줄 형태도 있지만, 암줄과 숫줄에 고를 만들어 고싸움형 줄다리기를 하는 쌍줄다리기 방식이다. 이러한 한국과 일본의 줄다리기가 언제부터 연희되었는지 잘 알 수는 없다. 문헌상 줄다리기 사료의 등장은 조선전기에 편찬된 『신증동국여지승람』 제주목조이다. 제주도의 줄다리기는 조리지희는 음력 8월 15일에 연행된 것으로 일본 오끼나와 줄다리기와 같은 계통이다. 그런데 줄다리기 조각상은 12세기에 조성된 캄보디아 앙코르와트 부조(浮彫)에 등장한다. 앙코르와트는 동아시아의 대표적인 힌두사원이다. 줄다리기 부조는 힌두신화가운데 우유바다젓기 신화를 조각으로 묘사한 것이다. 이 우유바다젓기신화는 3대 힌두신인 비슈누가 바수키(basuki)라는 뱀을 데리고 선과 악의 무리들이 천년동안 줄다리기를 한다는 내용이다. 이러한 줄다리기는 나가(naga)줄다리기라 할 수 있다. 인도에는 밀교신앙의례로서 투륜견삭(鬪輪羂索)이 있었다. 이 투륜견삭신앙이 8세기경 중국 당나라에 줄다리기와 동반,전파하여 불공견삭관음(不空羂索觀音)신앙을 발달시켰고, 일본에도 불공견삭관음신앙와 줄다리기가 전파되었다. 일본에서는 큐슈－오끼나와에 한정하여 줄다리기가 연행되고 있는데, 오끼나와는 동남아시아에서 올라오는 쿠로시오 난류가 거치는 요충지이다. 일본의 줄다리기는 동남아시아에서 해류이동을 통해서 올라오는 8월보름형 줄다리기와 중국에서 건너온 상원절(1.15) 줄다리기가 동시에 연행되고 있는데, 한국에서는 주로 상원절 줄다리기가 연행되고 있다. 상원절 줄다리기는 주로 나가형이고, 견삭형은 암줄고에 숫줄고를 끼워넣고 남녀가 잡아당기는 하원절(8.15)의 줄다리기 방식이다. 현재 우리나라에서 연행되는 줄다리기는 지역으로 편차가 있지만, 대체로 나가형과 견삭형(羂索形) 줄다리기가 혼재하는 모습을 보여준다. 줄다리기가 인도의 힌두신화에 등장하고, 줄다리기의 원형을 보여주는 그림과 부조가 힌두신앙권에서 발견되므로서 줄다리기의 발원지는 인도, 인도네시아, 캄보디아, 베트남 등의 동남아시아권이라 할 수 있다. 이 지역을 배경으로 하는 줄다리기 문화가 쿠로시오 난류에 편승하여 일본 오끼나와를 경유하여 한반도에 전파해온 것으로 보인다. 그 시점이 고려말 조선초로 추정된다. 정월 보름(1.15)의 줄다리기는 상원절 연등회 계통의 밀교수행의례로 연행되었으나, 지금은 풍농기원의 농경의례로서 거행되고 있다. 한국의 줄다리기는 외줄다리기와 고줄다리기가 있는데, 용의 형상으로 줄을 만들어 당기는 방식과 윤회를 속박하는 밀교수행의례로서 거행되어온 줄다리기의 전통이 전승되고 있다.

Tug of war has been transmitted in East Asia including Korea. It is performed at Dong Jae (Dong Festival) on the 15th of January, the First Full Moon day in Korea meanwhile, it is performed at Poong Yeon Jae (Poong Yeon Festival) on the 15th of August, Thanks Giving Day in Japan by lunar calender. The rope is made of rice grass and the symbol and the way to perform the tug of war are basically same in Korea and Japan. There are two types of tug of war according to the type of rope; one rope and two ropes. At the tug of war on Dong Jae and Poong Yeon Jae, two ropes, male rope and female rope, are used. Each has a Go, a circle and the frame is wrapped with rice grass, at the forehead. It is uncertain when the tug of war started in Korea and Japan. Tug of war first appeared in Jeju wooden sculpture in the book, Shin jung dong guk yeo gi sung ram published in the early Chosun Dynasty. The tug of war in Jeju, Jorijihee was performed on the 15th of August which was the same kind performed in Japan. A picture of a tug of war appears in the embossed sculpture made in the 12th century of Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Angkor Wat is representative temple of Hindoo in East Asia. The embossed sculpture of a tug of war is a depiction of a myth, rowing in the sea of milk. The myth about the god of Hindoo, Visnu had a tug of war with a snake, Basuki against evil for a thousand years. Basuki is a snake, Naga in India. There was a ceremony making Turungyeonsak, a wheel wrapped with a rope, in Buddism in India. It was passed to Tang in China around the 8th century and it developed the belief, Bulgong gyeonsak gwanum and it passed to Japan. Tug of war is performed in Kusu－Okinawa and Okinawa is the place that turbulent flow of Kuroshio current comes from East Asia passes. There are two kinds of tug of war performed in Japan. One is performed on the 15th of August which was from East Asia and the other is performed at the Festival of Lanterns on the 15th of January which was from China meanwhile, the second type is mostly performed in Korea. The tug of war performed at the Festival of Lanterns is usually Naga type and the tug of war fighting with male rope and female rope is performed at Hawonjeol, on the 15th of August. Both tug of wars are performed in Korea. The origin of tug of war is supposed to be East Asia such as India, Indonesia, Cambodia and Vietnam since it appears in a myth of Hindoo and pictures and embossed sculptures of it are found in Hindoo religion. It seems that the tug of war passed to Korea through Okinawa following Kuroshio current and the time is assumed to be late Corea or early Chosun. The tug of war performed for good harvest on the 15th of January seems to be a ceremony of Esoteric Buddhism such as lighting lotus lanterns at the Festival of Lanterns. The shape of the rope is dragon not snake with the effect of Buddhism.

Tug of war has been transmitted in East Asia including Korea. It is performed at Dong Jae (Dong Festival) on the 15th of January, the First Full Moon day in Korea meanwhile, it is performed at Poong Yeon Jae (Poong Yeon Festival) on the 15th of August, Thanks Giving Day in Japan by lunar calender. The rope is made of rice grass and the symbol and the way to perform the tug of war are basically same in Korea and Japan. There are two types of tug of war according to the type of rope; one rope and two ropes. At the tug of war on Dong Jae and Poong Yeon Jae, two ropes, male rope and female rope, are used. Each has a Go, a circle and the frame is wrapped with rice grass, at the forehead. It is uncertain when the tug of war started in Korea and Japan. Tug of war first appeared in Jeju wooden sculpture in the book, Shin jung dong guk yeo gi sung ram published in the early Chosun Dynasty. The tug of war in Jeju, Jorijihee was performed on the 15th of August which was the same kind performed in Japan. A picture of a tug of war appears in the embossed sculpture made in the 12th century of Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Angkor Wat is representative temple of Hindoo in East Asia. The embossed sculpture of a tug of war is a depiction of a myth, rowing in the sea of milk. The myth about the god of Hindoo, Visnu had a tug of war with a snake, Basuki against evil for a thousand years. Basuki is a snake, Naga in India. There was a ceremony making Turungyeonsak, a wheel wrapped with a rope, in Buddism in India. It was passed to Tang in China around the 8th century and it developed the belief, Bulgong gyeonsak gwanum and it passed to Japan. Tug of war is performed in Kusu－Okinawa and Okinawa is the place that turbulent flow of Kuroshio current comes from East Asia passes. There are two kinds of tug of war performed in Japan. One is performed on the 15th of August which was from East Asia and the other is performed at the Festival of Lanterns on the 15th of January which was from China meanwhile, the second type is mostly performed in Korea. The tug of war performed at the Festival of Lanterns is usually Naga type and the tug of war fighting with male rope and female rope is performed at Hawonjeol, on the 15th of August. Both tug of wars are performed in Korea. The origin of tug of war is supposed to be East Asia such as India, Indonesia, Cambodia and Vietnam since it appears in a myth of Hindoo and pictures and embossed sculptures of it are found in Hindoo religion. It seems that the tug of war passed to Korea through Okinawa following Kuroshio current and the time is assumed to be late Corea or early Chosun. The tug of war performed for good harvest on the 15th of January seems to be a ceremony of Esoteric Buddhism such as lighting lotus lanterns at the Festival of Lanterns. The shape of the rope is dragon not snake with the effect of Buddhism.

tug of war, Hindoo, Naga, a myth－rowing in the sea of milk, Turungyeonsak－a wheel wrapped with a rope, Bulgong gyeonsak gwanum