Dangun and Gojoseon

Koreans trace their history back thousands of years to the myths and mystery of shadowy prehistory to a man-god named Dangun. His father Hwanung, who was the son the God of All, longed to live among the mountains and valleys of the Earth.

The God Hwanin sent him accompanied by three celestial helpers of wind, cloud and rain. Hwanung descended from Heaven to Mt. Taebaeksan, on Baekdusan on the border of Manchuria and North Korea. He named the place City of God and with his ministers imposed a code of flaws and taught its inhabitants moral principal and more than three hundred useful arts including medicine and agriculture.

At the time there lived together in a cave a tiger and a bear who wished to become human. Hearing their prayers, Hwanung called to them and, giving them each twenty pieces of garlic and a bunch of mugwort, told them that if they eat the sacred food and stay out of the sunlight for a hundred days, their wish would be granted. The two then retired to the darkness of their cave. The tiger grew weary of the task and left the cave but the bear remained and after 21 days was transformed into a woman.

The bear-woman was thankful and made offerings to Hwanung. But soon she became sad because she had no companion. She could not find a husband so she prayed under a sandalwood tree to be blessed with a child. Moved by her prayers, Hwanung took her for his wife and they soon had a son and named him Dangun, meaning "Sandalwood" or "Altar Prince," who later became the ruler of Gojoseon, the Land of Morning Calm.

He imparted to his people all the institutions of society and then, at the age of 1,908, he returned to Mt. Taebaeksan and became a mountain god. Whether such a person actually existed is debatable but that Dangun is an important part of Korea's foundation myths. Most Koreans, even those who believe him to be mythical, say that Dangun should be revered as a symbol of the Korean people and their culture.

There are numerous religions that worship Dangun and many shrines to him throughout the country. Located atop Manisan in Ganghw Island, about 60km west of Seoul, is Chamseongdan (star-reaching) altar dedicated to this legendary king Dangun. Today, the torch relay for the national athletic meeting starts from this altar every year.