earticle

영어

This article/report overviews the fishing customs in islands in Gyeonggi gulf area and the fishermen in Shandong Province, China. There are many commonness found between these two regions, and this proves that there were indirect contacts between the fishermen in these two countries. This can be demonstrated considering that the main kinds of fish in these two regions such as croaker, sciaenoid fish, shrimp, scabbard fish, etc. While these two regions now both make living mainly with fish cultivating industry, until 1960s they made great gains by catching croaker which make circular trip using balloon. The way they catch the croaker is same with Korean as they both sense the move of the fish by sound and set the net in cotton. The way to share the fish between shipowner and sailor are very similar as well. The fishermen in these regions offered sacrifice to the spirits when they built the ship and made maiden voyage as well as when they set out for sailing or come back in full harvest. Also they both sacrificed first big fish they caught. But the fishermen in Shandong region didn't offer sacrifice for the boat in Chuseok, instead they set out the wooden or paper boat in the sea for their ancestors who died in the water and burnt the paper money bowing in July 15, the ghost day, and wished their ancestor to go to paradise. This is unique custom in Shandong province only. Burning paper money and setting off firecrackers is also found only in Shandong region. The custom like to name the boat after the carpenter who built it, to put the coin called Taepyeong in the bottom of the boat or to raise the flag to show off the rich harvest are similar with Korean. Also the custom that the relatives of the shipowner present the shipowner with flag(Baeki) is as well same with Korean. The custom to carry musical instruments such as drum and gong in the boat and to play and celebrate the bountiful harvest is also found in both regions. As the fishermen in Gyeonggi gulf play ‘Baechigi’ game, the fishermen in Balhae gulf in Shandong region also sing taking turns. Also it is common that the shipowner throw barbecue to the sailors and their family when returning with full harvest. The fishermen in both region tabooed action like whistling in the boat or dropping something to the water and they considered women false in relations with fishing. Also the way they mark on the boat when returning in full after sailing or considering the turtle sacred among other sea animals and setting them free when they accidently catch is also identical. But in Shandong, the worship of whale is found where as it doesn't exist in Gyeonggi. Only the fishermen in Gyeonggi region doesn't fish one kind of whale called “Duijigorae.”