第2251期:South Korea’s Ancient Tradition Revived with Social Media(2)

Han Seung-hoon is an assistant professor at the Academy of Korean Studies, a research center under the Ministry of Education. Han says that younger shamans who live in the city connect well with their younger followers. These people are facing economic difficulties and are looking for help.
韩承勋是韩国学研究院的一名助理教授，这是一所隶属于教育部的研究中心。韩说，居住在城市的年轻巫师与他们的年轻追随者联系得很好。这些人正面临经济困难，正在寻求帮助。

In 2022, a culture ministry agency estimated that there were between 300,000 and 400,000 shamans and fortune-tellers in South Korea.
2022年，一家文化部机构估计，韩国有30万到40万名巫师和算命先生。

The agency website calls shamanism an "important and powerful” part of Korean tradition. Its roots date back at least 2,000 years, said Han.
该机构网站称巫术是韩国传统中“重要且强大的”一部分。韩说，它的根源可以追溯到至少2000年前。

Han also noted that larger religions such as Christianity and Buddhism make up about 40 percent of South Korea’s population. He added that they are more influential in society and do not receive similar criticism.
韩还指出，像基督教和佛教这样的大宗教占韩国人口的约40%。他补充说，它们在社会上更有影响力，不会受到类似的批评。

However, Lee said that Christians also visit shamans in South Korea. "Even...churchgoers want to have their bad dreams read," she said.
然而，李说，韩国的基督徒也会拜访巫师。“甚至...教会的信徒也希望让巫师解读他们的噩梦，”她说。

"People used to hide that they live as a (shaman). There was a lot of stigma," said 51-year-old Eunmi Pang. She has been a shaman for almost 20 years. She said that modern shamans are more willing to publicize themselves than those of the past.
“人们过去常常隐瞒自己是巫师的身份。那时有很多污名，”51岁的庞恩美说。她已经当了近20年的巫师。她说，现代巫师比过去更愿意宣传自己。

The activities, or practices, of shamans may involve ringing bells and throwing rice. They may also sing and dance. Many worship local gods such as the Mountain God, Great Spirit Grandmother, and Dragon King.
巫师的活动或实践可能包括摇铃和撒米。他们还可能唱歌和跳舞。许多人崇拜地方神如山神、大灵祖母和龙王。

More recently, some shamans have found themselves in legal trouble. Local media in Seoul reported that a 66-year-old shaman was sentenced to four years' imprisonment in February. A court had found him guilty of cheating a follower out of $200,000.
最近，一些巫师遇到了法律麻烦。首尔当地媒体报道，一名66岁的巫师在2月份被判处四年监禁。法院认定他欺骗了一名信徒20万美元。

Some people in South Korea's influential communities have links to shamans.
韩国一些有影响力的社区中有人与巫师有联系。

Min Hee-jin is a top entertainment industry leader with a major K-pop music company. In April, she defended herself in a press conference against accusations that she used a shaman for business purposes. Min said she simply talked with a shaman to feel better: "Don’t you guys all do that too?" she asked reporters.
闵熙珍是一家主要K-pop音乐公司的顶级娱乐业领导者。她在四月份的新闻发布会上为自己辩护，反驳了她利用巫师进行商业活动的指控。闵说，她只是与一位巫师交谈以感觉好些：“你们难道不也是这样吗？”她问记者们。

A 2022 report in the journal BMC Psychiatry noted a "huge" space between South Koreans needing mental health treatment and getting it. The report partly blamed this on stigma.
2022年《BMC精神病学》期刊的一份报告指出，韩国人在需要精神健康治疗和获得治疗之间存在“巨大”差距。报告部分归因于这种污名。

"People have stigmatized shamanism as something dirty, suspicious, and scary," said Han, the assistant professor at the Academy of Korean Studies. He added that people were sometimes accused of visiting shamans in attempts to hurt their reputation.
“人们把巫术污名化为肮脏、可疑和可怕的东西，”韩国学研究院的助理教授韩说。他补充说，有时人们被指责拜访巫师是为了损害他们的声誉。