Garlic and the Myth of Dangun Long time ago, the emperor of the heaven (God), Hwanin called up his sons and asked them. ¡°Who wants to go down to the world among you and reign the human being?¡± Hwanung comes out and said. ¡°I have long wanted to create a beautiful and clean world by bringing the will and blessing of the God down to the world. Should you give me permission to reign the world, I would like to go down.¡± ¡°I see. Which part of the earth you want to rule?¡± ¡°I want to lead the people in the East. Since they are generous and smart, they will become the best in the world with the proper ruling.¡± ¡°Good idea! Lead the people (of Korea) to set up a beautiful and bright nation.¡± The God ordered Pungbaek, god of wind, shinwoo, god of rain and unsa, god of cloud to accompany Hwanung in his descending to the world. ¡°Go down to the land of the East with Hwangung and do something to benefit people there. Keep a guard on the country for thousands of years and help Hwangung to build the nation.¡± Along with three gods that governs the agriculture and 3,000 other underlings, Hwangung went through a thick layer of cloud and landed in Taebaeksan (presently Myohyangsan). Then, he governed 360 important matters including murders, life, disease, sentences after crimes and goods and evils. At the foot of Taebaeksan where Hwangung descended with 3,000 underlings formed a big city. Hwangung called the city ¡°Shinshi (divine city)¡± to mark the center of the world. Thanks to Hwangung¡¯s ruling, people in the east prospered more than ever. There is no fighting or evil act among people. Following the examples of people, beasts behave well and live in peace. One day, a tiger and a bear in Taebaeksan came to Hwangung and begged him to make them human beings. ¡°Please transform us into human being.¡± Hwangung put on a gentle smile on his face, as he answered. ¡°The heaven can do anything at his will. However, you must go through hardship before you are born again as human being.¡± ¡°Tells us what hardship lies ahead of us.¡± Hwangung handed out a handful of holy mugwort and 20 cloves of garlic and said. ¡°Stay in a cave for 100 days, avoid sunlight and eat only mugwort and garlic that I gave you. Pray whole-heartedly to God to make you human being. This process should be only done at the discretion of the God.¡± ¡°We will endure any pain.¡± ¡°We will make it through and become human being.¡± It is no doubt that living on mugwot and garlic only for 100 days is daunting challenges for the tiger and bear who have healthy appetite. The tiger with short temper left the cave 37 days into the isolation and ran away into the obscurity of the mountain. The bear that finished the time turned into a beautiful woman on 100th day. ¡°Thank you for making me a beautiful woman. Now, I am begging you to find me a partner for life.¡± Her wish came true, as Hwangung married her. This beautiful woman was called ¡°Ungnyeo (the bear lady),¡± because she was formerly a bear. Soon after she married Hwangung, she gave birth to a son, who is the founding father of Korea and the ancestor of the Korean people. His name is Dangun Wanggeom. In 50 years in the reign of Emperor Yo of China (approximately 2,367 BC or 5,000 years back from now), Dangun Wanggeom set his nation¡¯s capital in Pyeongyang and called his country Joseon. Dangun Wanggeom later moved the capital to Asadal in Baekaksan. The new capital was called ¡°Gungholsan or Geummidal.¡± Dangun Wanggeom ruled the Joseon for 1,500 years from then on. His motto of ¡°Hongikingan (Benefit people extensively)¡± was the reflection of how Koreans have made out of the foundation of their country. From Jewangungi chapter in Samgukyusa |
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1 | Garlic and the Myth of Dangun | garlickorea | |