[One Thousand Characters a Day] The World Seen Through Symbols <2> - The Reason for Wrapping One's Head

Editor's NoteWhy do people buy lottery tickets when they dream of pigs? Why do they avoid writing names in red? Since when have pigeons symbolized peace? These are things we naturally learn in daily life and accept so unquestioningly that it is difficult to clearly explain why. Dr. Kim Nang-ye (Kyung Hee University Humanitas College) published The World Seen Through Symbols, which introduces 'symbols' that are deeply rooted not only in religion, literature, and art but also in our everyday lives, explaining their meanings and origins. Today, we bring you a section describing symbols and taboos related to the head. Word count: 1246 characters.

Have you ever seen a grandmother or grandfather wearing a white headband? You might have seen scenes in dramas or movies where an elder in the family, troubled by the behavior of their descendants, wraps a white band around their head and lies down in distress. In this way, elders often tie a white band around their heads and lie down when they face troublesome situations, which foreigners find fascinating.

But why do they tie a white band around their heads? When a person experiences shock, blood rushes to the head causing blood vessels to expand. At this time, tying the head to apply pressure can relieve acute headaches. So medically, it is not an entirely baseless practice.

The head fundamentally symbolizes a 'person.' That is why when counting people, we say 'counting heads.' In idiomatic expressions, it can mean humility or apology; for example, 'bowing one's head' is used when asking for forgiveness or worshiping a deity.

The head also symbolizes leaders or kings among people. The word 'leader' itself contains the concept of the head. The term 'dumok (頭目),' meaning the leader of a group, includes the character for 'head (頭),' and 'sujang (首長),' meaning the chief or head who governs and leads a group or organization, contains the character for 'head (首).'

Leaders and kings usually stand in front of others, right? Words indicating the front or the foremost also include 'head.' An important article placed at the beginning of a newspaper is called a 'head article,' and the very front of a book or thesis is called a 'preface' or 'headword.' The front of a line, parade, or activity is called 'seondu (先頭),' meaning 'head' or 'lead.' There is also a proverb, 'A chicken's head is better than a dragon's tail.' Similarly, the head carries the meaning of foundation. In architecture, there is a 'headstone' that tells who built the structure and when.

The head, which can metaphorically represent a person and also mean the foremost or foundation, is closely connected to taboos. A taboo refers to things that should not be done, including prohibited actions and those avoided out of discomfort, also called 'taboo.' It is about refraining from certain words or actions for fear of bad outcomes. For example, in Korea, people fondly stroke a child's head when they find them cute and admirable, but in Thailand, touching someone else's head is an absolute taboo. This is because the head is believed to house the soul, so touching it is considered a violation of sacredness. In Korea, there is a taboo against crossing over a person's head when they are lying down. It is said that if you cross over someone's head, you will not grow tall, making it a serious taboo that must be observed.

- Kim Nang-ye, The World Seen Through Symbols, Changbi Education, 15,000 KRW