The T'angun Legend
by Jeon
Hong Kyu
Don't be surprised after you find out where we Korean people came from.
Here goes the origin myth of Korea.
Family tree of God
In old days, there was Hwan Ung, a son of Hwan In, The God. Hwan Ung always
desired for earthly power with a view to governing human society. The father
knowing his son's intention, looked down at Mt.T'aebaek, one of three high
mountains and send his son with the trust 'The mankind is worthy of wide
benefits.' which turned out to be an our country's founding credo. Hwan
Ung leading three thousand followers, descended to under the trees around
the holy altar on the top of Mt. T'aebaek(or Mt. Myohyang) and called theplace
the holy city commanding the Lord of wind, the Master of Rain and the Master
of Cloud. He attended to the planting of grains, the regulation of life,
sickness and judged good and evil.(This tells us that Korean society was
based on agriculture.)
Wishes come true!
At this time, there lived a bear and a tiger who always prayed to God Ung
that they might be transformed to human beings.(I couldn't figure out what
makes them to think that human is better?) So Ung gave them a stalk of
wormwood and twenty cloves of garlic. He ordered them to eat only those
and avoid the sun light for one hundred days.(No pain No gain!) The bear
and a tiger took them started to live together in a cave(of course not
married).
Finally, the bear acquired the human body of woman(I don't think
that she looked good in human body) when the tiger unable to shun the sun
light failed. Since the bear woman could find no one to marry, she again
prayed under the trees around the altar that she might be with young partner.
Thereupon, Ung changed his form and married her. Can you imagine? A bear
marry a son of God! What an animal lover he was! She became pregnant and
bore a son and his name was T'angun Wanggom. He established his capital
at Pyongyang and called his kingdom Ancient Choson(or Morning freshness).
He ruled the country for one thousand five hundred years.
This story is Korea's most famous founding myth and also carries
behind stories. Anyway, I think This story may explain why Korean people
so fond of garlic.