Have you ever heard of a bear and a tiger spending 100 days in a cave wanting to be human? It is said that this absurd thing happened thousands of years ago in Korea. I understand if you don't believe it. This unbelievable story is related to the upcoming holiday on Oct. 3. It is called Gaecheonjeol (the National Foundation Day of Korea, in English) which is the day to commemorate the founding of Gojoseon. Gojoseon is Korea's first nation and the story above is part of the myth related to its foundation. Like Zeus of the Greek mythology and Odin of the Norse mythology, Korea also has a myth on the birth of the nation and the legendary founder of the nation. Then, what do the bear and the tiger have to do with the founding of Gojoseon and what kind of person is the founder? The UOS times will take a deep look at everything related to this myth and Gaecheonjeol.
- Gojoseon-Korea’s first nation
Gojoseon was established in 2333 B.C. by Dangun centered on which is now North Korea and Manchuria. Around the 4th century B.C., it formed a big force and gradually became a nation. It was originally founded based on Bronze Age culture, but later it became stronger when it accepted ironware. Some of the Bronze Age relics representing Gojoseon include a Mandolin-shaped bronze swordek, a misongni-style earthenware, and dolmens. In Gojoseon, there was eight articles to maintain social order. Only three of the eight clauses are being passed down now. According to the law, people's lives, labor, and property were considered to be very important. Gojoseon became rich during transit trade between the Han Dynasty of China and the Jin Dynasty in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula,; however, it collapsed in 108 B.C., losing the war to the Han Dynasty.
- Dangun Mythology (The Myth on the Birth of Gojoseon)
Hwanwoong, the son of the god (Hwan-in) who ruled the sky, loved the human world. He led 3,000 people and the officials who managed the rain, wind, and clouds in the world of heaven to make the human world comfortable. He built a town called Sinshi under the tree called Sindansu. One day, a bear and a tiger came and asked to make them human. Hwanwoong said, "If you eat only mugwort and garlic and endure 100 days in a cave, you can become human." However, the tiger could not bear it and came out of the cave, but the bear eventually became human. Hwanwoong married the bear (Wungnyeo), who turned into a female human, and gave birth to a son, who was Dangun. Dangun founded his nation on Taebaek Mountain and named it Joseon. He is also called Dangun Wanggeom, meaning that Dangun is a religious leader and Wanggeom is a political ruler.
- The Behind Story of the Dangun Mythology
Dangun Mythology is widely known to Korean people. The story has been passed down and recorded over the years. Some parts have disappeared and some have been added, but it's not entirely fictional. It reflects the thoughts and interests of the people of that era, so the historical meaning and various stories underlie.
First, the name of the country founded by Dangun was originally called 'Joseon'. However, to distinguish Joseon from the Joseon Dynasty, which was founded by Lee Seong-gye in 1392, it was changed to "Go (old, in English)-Joseon," meaning ancient Joseon.
Second, the story of a bear turning into a human is not what actually happened, but it indirectly tells us the situation in which a bear worship tribe won over a tiger worship tribe. Gojoseon was founded by combining the Hwanwoong tribe, which claims to be the descendant of God, and the bear tribe, which uses bear as a totem. Based on the fact that Hwanwoong came from heaven, it is assumed that he moved from another area. So the native people who originally lived in the area must have been the bear tribe. The two tribes came to a compromise and the son, Dangun, opened a new world.
Third, Hwanwoong brought people to control the wind, clouds, and rain, and it tells us that Gojoseon was a society where farming was important. Since the climate is the most important thing for farming, they needed someone who was in charge of weather-related tasks.
- The Process of Establishing a Public Holiday for the National Foundation Day
The celebration of the National Foundation Day has long been held through harvesting events. As you can see from events such as Goguryeo's Dongmang, Buyeo's Yeonggo, and Silla and Goryeo’s Palguanhui (each signifies the country and harvest festivals of the past.), October was a harvesting time for valuable year-long harvest from farming, setting up a table with new grains, and holding a memorial service.
The name Gaecheonjeol originated from Daejonggyo (the Great Religion: A folk religion of Korea which worships Dangun as the progenitor of Korean people, in English). On Jan.15, 1909, Gaecheonjeol was established in Seoul as a celebration day and was held as an annual event. Throughout the Japanese colonial era, the Gaecheonjeol event contributed to the promotion of national consciousness. In particular, the Shanghai Provisional Government designated Gaecheonjeol as a national holiday and celebrated it in Chongqing and in other areas jointly with the Daejonggyo.
After Korea's liberation from Japan's colonial rule, the National Foundation Day was officially established as a national holiday. Gaecheonjeol was originally held on Oct. 3 of the lunar calendar until after the establishment of the Republic of Korea. In 1949, the lunar calendar was changed to Oct. 3 of the Gregorian calendar.
So far, we have looked through various aspects of the National Foundation Day of Korea. We looked at what kind of country Gojoseon, Korea's first country, was, and what meaning lay behind a somewhat nonsense story. Not only Gojoseon but also Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla, which later appeared, have various national myths. It would be great if this article made you understand more about Gaecheonjeol and become more interest in the history of Korea.
Lastly, Gojoseon's founding ideology is "Hongik Human (humanitarianism, in English)." The word "humanitarianism" means "to benefit the people". This idea is so good that it can be applied now in 2020. For more than eight months, the world has been suffering from COVID-19, so let's do not cause damage to others, protect yourself through sanitation, and overcome this pandemic with this ideology.