Jeju’s protectors: Stone Grandpas

Imagine walking down the street and finding a figure that is welcoming you inside. This figure looks like an older man with bulbous eyes, a long nose, a tight smile, and his hands resting on his protruding belly. What kind of statue is this?

 

This statue is Jeju’s main representative symbol, a Stone Grandpa or a Dol Hareubang! A Stone Grandpa, just like the name suggests, are figures made out of stone that look like man. The Stone Grandpas originally had different names, one of them being Wooseokmok(meaning grandpa made with stone). But, because they resemble the grandfathers and fathers of Jeju, the island’s children started calling them Stone Grandfathers. The name stuck, and people continue to call them that even until today.

 

When speaking of where or why these statues came to be, there are no known records.  But, some records state that these statues were in front of the east, west, and south gates of Jeju City. Also, some records state some of these stone deities were erected in the 30th year of Joseon King Yeongjo’s reign.

 

Jeju folk scholars say that the Stone grandpas have three main functions. The first is that the statues protect the people of Jeju’s prosperity. The second function of the figures being that they protect against infectious diseases. There is even a myth that if you grind up the nose of a stone grandpa and eat it, you will give birth to a son. The third is that the statues are built or placed in the front of villages, and as such, they mark the town’s boundaries.

 

Throughout the years, the Stone Grandpa’s meaning has changed, but the basic purpose of the statues has stayed the same. Because Jeju has become a place where many newly married couples go on their honeymoon, the sculptures symbolize fertility. There is a saying that if you rub the nose of a statue, it will bless you with a boy. If you rub the ears of the figure, it will bless you with a girl. These features are similar to one of the original functions of a stone grandpa, the only difference being that you don’t have to grind up the nose and eat it.

 

Have the Stone Grandpa’s intrigued you? I hope you find them just as interesting as I do. If you want to know more about these figures, check them out in Jeju at the various museums and parks where there is even more in-depth information.

 

 

Written by: Mariah Abdelfattah:
From Southern California, United States. Currently a senior B.A Candidate in Korean Language Flagship at the University of Hawaii Mānoa. Attending Korea University as an exchange student and a Intern at VANK(Voluntary Agency Network of Korea).