Mythological Expressions and Cultural Symbolism of Korean Ginseng

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This study examines the folklore expressions and cultural symbolism of Korean ginseng. With over 1,500 years of history, Korean ginseng has transcended its value as a medicinal plant to become an important symbolic entity in Korean culture. This paper analyzes the types and narrative structures of ginseng folklore and explores the Korean cosmology and the human-soil-cosmos relationship embodied in the transformation motifs of ginseng. It also examines the ritual elements found in Simmani (wild ginseng diggers) culture and ginseng harvesting traditions, while analyzing ginseng imagery in Korean folk paintings, ceramics and mountain spirit paintings (山神圖). Furthermore, by examining how ginseng is culturally reinterpreted and preserved in contemporary Korean society, this study explores the globalization potential of ginseng cultivation and medicinal culture, which has been designated as a National Intangible Heritage in December 2020. The research findings confirm that Korean ginseng is not only a medicinal ingredient but also a symbol of filial piety (孝) and healing, representing a valuable cultural heritage that embodies the ecological worldview and cultural identity of Korean people. In this respect, "Ginseng Culture: A spirit of gratitude and care for nature and family (community)" has been selected as Korea’s 2026 nomination to UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.