Dangun
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Dangun is the mythical founder of Korea. The oldest existing record of the founding myth of Korea involving him appears in the Samguk Yusa, a 13th-century collection of legends and stories.
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Story
Dangun's ancestry begins with his grandfather Hwanin (환인; 桓因;), the "Lord of Heaven" (a name which also appears in Indian Buddhist texts). Hwanin had a son Hwanung who yearned to live on the earth among the valleys and the mountains. Hwanin chose Mount Taebaek (태백산; 太伯山) for his son to settle down in and sent him with 3,000 helpers to rule the earth and provide humans with great happiness. Hwanung descended to Mount Taebaek and founded a city, which he named Sinsi (신시; 神市), or "City of God." Along with his ministers of clouds, rain, and wind, he instituted laws and moral codes and taught the humans various arts, medicine, and agriculture.
A tiger and a bear living in a cave together prayed to Hwanung to become human. Upon hearing their prayers, Hwanung called them to him and gave them 20 cloves of garlic and a bundle of mugwort. He then ordered them to only eat this sacred food and remain out of the sunlight for 100 days. The tiger shortly gave up and left the cave. However, the bear remained and after 21 days was transformed into a woman.
The bear-woman (Ungnyeo; 웅녀; 熊女) was very grateful and made offerings to Hwanung. She lacked a husband, however, and soon became sad and prayed beneath a sandalwood tree to be blessed with a child. Hwanung, moved by her prayers, took her for his wife and soon she gave birth to a son, who was named Dangun Wanggeom (단군 왕검; 檀君王儉).
Dangun ascended to the throne in the 50th year of the reign of the Emperor Yao (a legendary Chinese sage Yao), the year of Gengyin, built the walled city of P'yŏngyang, and called the kingdom Joseon. He then moved his capital to Asadal on Mount Baegak (or Mount Gunghol). 1,500 years later, in the year Kimyo, King Wu of the Zhou Dynasty enfeoffed Jizi to Joseon, and Dangun moved his capital to Jangdangyeong. Finally, he returned to Asadal and became a mountain god at the age of 1,908.
Dating
It is often said that Dangun ascended to the throne in 2333 BC, based on the description of the Dongguk Tonggam (1485), but the date differs among historical sources; nevertheless, all of them put it during Yao's reign (traditional dates: 2357 BC-2256 BC). The Samguk Yusa say Dangun ascended to the throne in the 50th year of Yao's reign, while Sejong Sillok says the first year and Dongguk Tonggam says the 25th year.
Annals of Danguns
Annals of the Danguns are recorded in Gyuwon Sahwa.Gyuwon Sahwa is a credible historical record written in 1675 which is based on earlier records that are now lost.Unfortunately existing Gyuwon Sahwa is part of Hwandan Gogi.Hwandan Gogi is considered as a blasphemy, which describes Korean history back to 8th millennium BC, but part of it is based on Gyuwon Sahwa and other records. Hwandan Gogi is written in 1911.
- Dangun Wanggeom BC 2333-BC 2240
- Dangun Buru BC 2240-BC 2182
- Dangun Garuk BC 2182-BC 2137
- Dangun Osagu BC 2137-BC 2099
- Dangun Gueul BC 2099-BC 2083
- Dangun Dalmun BC 2083-BC 2047
- Dangun Hanyul BC 2047-BC 1993
- Dangun Useohan BC 1993-BC 1985
- Dangun Asul BC 1985-BC 1950
- Dangun Noeul BC 1950-BC 1891
- Dangun Dohae BC 1891-BC 1834
- Dangun Ahan BC 1834-BC 1782
- Dangun Holdal (a.k.a. Daeumdal) BC 1782-BC 1721
- Dangun Gobul BC 1721-BC 1661
- Dangun Daeum (a.k.a. Huhuldal) BC 1661-BC 1610
- Dangun Wina BC 1610-BC 1552
- Dangun Yeoul BC 1552-BC 1484
- Dangun Dongum BC 1484-BC 1435
- Dangun Gumoso BC 1435-BC 1380
- Dangun Sotae BC 1337-BC 1285
- Dangun Saekbullu BC 1285-BC 1237
- Dangun Aheul BC 1237-BC 1161
- Dangun Solna BC 1150-BC 1062
- Dangun Churo BC 1062-BC 997
- Dangun Dumil BC 997-BC 971
- Dangun Haemo BC 971-BC 943
- Dangun Mahyu BC 943-BC 909
- Dangun Naehyu BC 909-BC 874
- Dangun Deungol BC 874-BC 849
- Dangun Chumil BC 849-BC 819
- Dangun Gammul BC 819-BC 795
- Dangun Orumun BC 795-BC 772
- Dangun Sabeol BC 772-BC 704
- Dangun Maeruk BC 704-BC 646
- Dangun Mamul BC 646-BC 590
- Dangun Damul BC 590-BC 545
- Dangun Duhol BC 545-BC 509
- Dangun Daleum BC 509-BC 491
- Dangun Umcha BC 491-BC 471
- Dangun Uleuji BC 471-BC 461
- Dangun Mulli BC 461-BC 425
- Dangun Gumul BC 425-BC 396
- Dangun Yeoru BC 396-BC 341
- Dangun Boeul BC 341-BC 295
- Dangun Goyeolga BC 295-BC 237
Origin of the myth
Dangun has never appeared in Chinese documents, even though they record other legends like that of Jumong (the legendary founder of Goguryeo) in detail. In addition, the Samguk Sagi--the oldest existing history book in Korea--makes no mention of Dangun, leading some people to theorize that the myth was formed some time between the 10th and 13th centuries. But Kim Busik, the author of Samguk Sagi, was a pro-Sinicist, and it is possible he omitted records of pre-Three Kingdoms history. A later work, the Samguk Yusa, which was meant to be a supplement of Samguk Sagi, describes more about Danguns.
Dangun and Korean nationalism
While Shamanism, Buddhism, and Confucianism were the dominant religious and philosophical movements in Korea before the 20th century, Gosindo (고신도; 古神道) existed as a cult, which had largely died out by the 15th century.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with a resurgence in Korean nationalism after repeated Japanese invasions and the beginning of a long brutal occupation, the movement was revised in the cults of Daejonggyo (대종교; 大宗敎) and Dangungyo (단군교; 檀君敎).
The latter was promoted by Na Cheol (1864-1916), but could not survive the atrocities of the Japanese Colonial Period (1910-1945) (Taejonggyo (1999)/Tangun (http://www.adherents.com/adhloc/Wh_179.html)), since it conflicted with the practices of the Japanese occupation to eliminate traditional Korean culture.
After Japan's unconditional surrender and Korean liberation, Dangungyo was revived, but lacked mass appeal with the allied attempts to encourage Christianity in Korea as a bulwark against communism.
Nevertheless, campaigns to teach the Dangun myth as historical fact in schools partially succeeded in encouraging nationalism and patriotism in those times, with subsequent teachings on the myth becoming more moderate and seeing the symbolism of it as being of equal value.
Until 1961, the official South Korean era (for numbering years) was called the Dangi (단기; 檀紀), which began with 2333 BC, the year of the mythical founding of Joseon by Dangun. Daejong-gyo designated October 3rd in the lunar calendar as Gaecheonjeol (개천절; 開天節), or the "Festival of the Opening of Heaven." This day is now a national holiday in the Gregorian calendar, called National Foundation Day.
Archaeological site
In the 1990s, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea government claimed it had found and excavated parts of the Mausoleum of Dangun. Little is known of this archaeological discovery but there is hope in the future that more work will be done in the area to verify a potentially exciting claim.
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| width="30%" |Preceded by:
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| width="40%" style="text-align: center;" |Emperor of Go-Joseon
| width="30%" |Succeeded by:
Dangun Buru
External links
- http://www.lifeinkorea.com/Information/tangun.cfm
- http://www.taekwondobible.com/korculture/spirit/myth.html
- http://www.clickasia.co.kr/about/m2.htm
- http://www.sogang.ac.kr/~burns/cult951/tangun.html