Sotdae, tall posts with carved animals, are objects of worship and boundary markers in rural Korea. They ward off evil spirits and bring good luck, and are used to commemorate major life events. The origins of sotdae date back to the Bronze Age, and their artistic level varies. Jangseung, human effigies, serve a similar purpose.
Visitors to Korea often have the chance to see sotdae, posts or pillars topped with carved animals, especially birds. A sotdae performs several functions in Korean society, acting as an object of worship and as a conduit to the heavens. These items are most commonly seen in rural Korea, where people maintain traditional folk beliefs and customs, and are typically found around the outskirts of a village.
Placing a sotdae or group of these items at the edge of a village is meant to ward off evil spirits from within the village, while also expressing a collective wish for good luck and fortune. Sotdae also have a minor function as boundary markers, making it easy to distinguish the official start of a village. These tall poles are meant to bring the wishes and hopes of the villagers closer to heaven, so they can be heard by the gods.
People also build sotdae to commemorate major life events, especially graduations, in which case the sotdae may be topped with a dragon or other mythical beast and painted in bright colors. Memorial sotdae are usually placed in people’s backyards, so the whole community knows who is celebrating and why.
The origins of the sotdae appear to be ancient. Evidence suggests that crude forms of these interesting markers have been constructed since the Bronze Age in northern Asia. A typical sotdae is very tall and carved out of wood or built with several stone blocks stacked on top of each other. The top hat is more classically a carved duck, although other birds and animals may also be used, and sometimes multiple birds crown a single sotdae.
The artistic level involved is also quite varied. In some cases, the engravings are very elaborate and precise, with a high level of detail and visual interest. In other cases, a sotdae is cruder, with a vague shape representing the bird or animal; sometimes a simple wooden V may crown the post.
A related concept, the jangseung, consists of a staff surmounted by a carving of a wooden face. These human effigies are erected for much the same reasons as the sotdae, but they can also act as stand-ins for gods and can be placed around graves and cemeteries to keep evil spirits away from the dead.
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