A comparative folkloric study on the origins of the market and market-moving rain-making rituals

To understand market-moving rain-making rituals, we examined the discussion on the origins of the market because it is closely related to the market's history. The market's origins are discussed from the viewpoint of economic trade and religion. The theory of ritual origin discusses the market's origin based on market-moving rain-making rituals. Market origin theory in Korea focuses on the market's economic function and discusses its relationship with the rain-making ceremony as a festival. Market-moving rain-making rituals, which have been practiced since ancient times, were introduced from China and have been historically transformed following acceptance in Korea and Japan.BR Japan's market-moving rain-making rituals were practiced until the 11th century, but they are not recorded in the literature after that. Thereafter, rain rituals in Japan were mostly based on Buddhism. However, in Korea, they continued from the Goryeo Dynasty to the Joseon Dynasty. Additionally, the practice of rain-making rituals in the private sector is difficult to find in Japan, although they were passed down in Korea until the 1930s. Rain-making rituals in the private sector differ from national rain-making rituals, with the former showing regional characteristics closely related to popular gods in folk beliefs.