Comparison of House Folkore in China, Korea and Japan

중·한·일 세 나라의 주거민속 연구 -조왕(竈王)-

This research on the house folklore in China, Korea, and Japan is focusing on a kitchen God that is common in these three countries. This god originated in China and has subsequently influenced Korea and Japan. Today, all three countries use the same name of this kitchen god which is called Youngwang(竈王) as its name has been spelled in Chinese. In China, this kitchen god has been believed in two different ways. The Han people have developed their belief in Youngwang while another creed has been originated from other ethnic groups. Because of the particular house style with upper stories of ethnic groups in the southern and southeast areas of China, a kitchen fireplace is centered in the house. Han people in China also worship painted depictions of kitchen gods. And the ethnic groups believe it has three stone legs for a fire box. These differing beliefs has bad influenced on Korea and Japan. The kitchen god of Cheju island (off the south Korea coast) is believed to be almost the same as among the ethnic groups in China Interestingly, form of belief in the kitchen god in Okinawa (off the south coast of Japan) is almost identical as in the southern area of China Custom in China. Korea, and Japan regarding the kitchen god symbolized family values healing, initiating a new daughter-in-law to reveging the kitchen god, etc. are all the very similar. A fireplace and its fire are very important and, have many taboo, attached. Existing rich tales of kitchen gods are similar in the three countries. Moreover, people in the three countries, think that the clay or time plaster of the fireplace with bring good luck on New Year's eve. However, Korea kitchen god features one thing that is different from those China and Japan, that is that water symbolizes the kitchen god in Korea. A painted kitchen god as they are popular in China, has influenced only some Buddhist temples in Korea.