Garlic and the Myth of Dangun  
¡Ý The myth of Dangun ¡Ý

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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