This study aims to arouse the people clearly to the differences of Danoje Festival in Korea from Danoje Festival in China for which it was designated as a world heritage. This study investigates the overview of the contents of Danoje Festival in Korea and China, and the differences of Danoje Festival in Korea from that in China can be summarized as follows:
First, there is a difference in the origin/purpose of Danoje Festival between Korea and China. Danoje Festival in Korea is a kind of harvest ceremony celebrating the creation of life and praying for safety by the Yin-Yang harmony through sacred marriage of Cheonbusin (Heavenly father god) with Jimosin (Earth mother goddess) (or Sumosin (Water Mother Goddess)) in the myths of Dangun, Jumong, Park Hyeokgeose and Kim Su-ro. Yongseon (Dragon ship) game of Danoje Festival in China is a prayer for the safety of Qu Yuan’s corpse or a Yongmuje event for calming the appearance Sea god (God of water) by the battle under the water. Second, there are differences in the process of the development of Danoje Festival between Korea and China. In Danoje Festival in Korea, primarily, Summer Solstice Festival or May Festival was combined with secondary god of nature and thirdly, it was replaced by human gods, Gongeophyeong (General Han and His Sister, State Master Beomil and Kim Yu-Sin). In Danoje Festival in China, first, the summer solstice system was combined with the sea god festival, and second, the sea god was replaced by a human god in a kind of revengeful spirit (Qu Yuan). Third, there are differences in the process of the succession of Danoje Festival between Korea and China. Danoje Festival in Korea focuses on the rites, so entertaining group play Hwaetbul Nori (Torch play), Seokjeon (Mock fight with stone missiles) or horse race were included as part of Danoje Festival. Danoje Festival in China focuses on the games/plays instead of the rites, so ritualistic elements are diminished. In other words, Korea focuses on the rites while China focuses on games.
Although Danoje Festival in Korea and China was developed in similar religious activities because of the regional background of high temperature and humidity and the industrial background of agriculture, it was found that Danoje Festival in Korea had different cultural styles with that in China, in terms of the origin/purpose and the processes of development and succession. The succession and development are most important parts of cultural heritages. In this sense, it is judged that it would be necessary to have a broad mind of understanding and respecting the country’s culture, rather than establishing the rights and wrongs based on the similarity of name or origin.