For many centuries, Korea has been a cultural and ideological mediator between East Asia and the population of the Pacific Islands (mainly Japan). Its mythology was formed under the influence of Indian-Buddhist and Chinese civilizations. The culture of the ancient Koreans, which is autochthonous in nature, that is, characteristic only for this territory, gave mankind many unique myths and legends that are included in the treasury of world literature.
History embodied in myths
The earliest examples of myths and legends were discovered by scientists in the chronicles of the ancient states of Silla, Baekche and Kogure, located in different historical periods in the territory adjacent to modern Pyongyang. In addition, records relating to Korean mythology are contained in Chinese histories of famous dynasties. However, the most complete picture of this genre of folk art is given by the first official Korean chronicle, called "Samguk Sagi". It is dated 1145.
Studying this historical monument, you can see that the characters of the Koreanmythologies are taken mainly from the history of the country or from folk tales, and to a much lesser extent from the world of the gods. They reflect the idea of people about their ancestors, as well as about the heroes to whom historical authenticity is attributed. A separate group is made up of cult myths, which explain the origin of all kinds of rituals. They are usually associated with Confucianism or Buddhism, and often with demonology.
Royal offspring of a bear
Let's start our brief review with the myth of Tangun, since this character is traditionally assigned the role of the founder of the ancient state of Joseon, located on the site of the current South Korean capital. According to the legend, the son of the lord of the sky, Hwanun, annoyed his father with requests to let him go to earth. Finally he got his way. Hwanwoong with three hundred followers left the sky.
On earth, he gave people laws, taught crafts and agriculture, which made them live richly and happily. Seeing a picture of general well-being, the tiger and the bear began to beg the celestial to turn them into people. He agreed, but on the condition that they pass the test. It was required not to see sunlight for 100 days, and in food to be limited to only 20 cloves of garlic and a stalk of wormwood.
The tiger abandoned this venture after 20 days, and the she-bear passed the test and turned into a woman. However, her unsatisfied thirst for motherhood prevented her from feeling happy. Condescending to the requests of the sufferer, Hvanun married her. From their marriage, according to ancient legend, the same Tangun was born, who inherited from his fatherthrone and founded the state of Joseon. A characteristic feature of Korean folklore is that it often indicates the specific place and time of the events described. So, in this case, the exact date of the beginning of the reign of Tangun is given - 2333 BC. e.
Korean Creation
In Korean mythology, as in any other, people's ideas about the creation of the world were reflected, and in different parts of the peninsula they were different. So, according to one version, the sun, moon and stars are nothing but earthly children who climbed into the sky in search of salvation from the tiger. Perhaps the one who did not have the endurance to become a man. As for the seas, lakes and rivers, they were created by the giants on the orders of their mistress Hallasan, so huge that mountains served as pillows for her.
Explained in ancient legends and the nature of eclipses. According to the version given in them, the Sun and the Moon are relentlessly pursued by fiery dogs sent by the Prince of Darkness. They try to swallow the heavenly bodies, but each time they are forced to retreat, because one of them is daytime, unusually hot, and the nighttime one is too cold. As a result, the dogs manage only to tear off a piece from them. With that, they return to their master.
There are several versions in Korean mythology about how the first people appeared in the world. According to the most common of them, the sky fairy was inflamed with love for the laurel tree. From their union came ancestorsmodern Koreans. Reproducing in a completely traditional way, they populated the entire territory of the Korean Peninsula.
Special sacredness was attached to the sky, where many amazing creatures of Korean mythology lived. The most significant among them was Khanynim, the lord of the world. His closest assistants were the Sun (it was depicted as a crow with three legs) and the Moon. She was usually given the appearance of a toad. In addition, the firmament contained a countless host of spirits that controlled the animal world, reservoirs, weather conditions, as well as mountains, hills and valleys.
The myth of Mount Amisan
In the northeast of South Korea is Mount Amisan, the upper part of which is bifurcated, making it look like a two-humped camel. An ancient legend tells about the origin of such an unusual form. It turns out that in ancient times the mountain had the most ordinary appearance. At its foot lived a poor peasant woman with her son and daughter. This woman was modest and inconspicuous, but her children were born giants. Their father is not mentioned in the legend.
Once they started a competition in strength and endurance, and the winner got the right to kill the loser. According to the condition, the boy had to run 150 versts a day in heavy steel shoes, while his sister, meanwhile, erected a stone wall around Mount Amisan. The girl seemed to be a hard worker. By evening, she was already finishing the work, but her mother suddenly called her to supper. Having interrupted the unfinished construction, she went home. At this time, a breathless brother came running, covering the prescribed distance in a day.
Seeing that the wall is not ready,he considered himself a winner. Drawing his sword, he cut off his sister's head. However, his joy was overshadowed by his mother's story that because of her, her daughter did not have time to complete the work she had begun. Realizing the mistake, the son felt dishonored. Not wanting to bear the shame, he tried to plunge the blade into his own chest, but the deadly weapon bounced off her and flew off towards the mountain. Hitting the top, the sword left a notch that gave it the shape of a two-humped camel. This story occupies a very prominent place in Korean mythology. These days it is told to all the tourists who visit Mount Amisan.
Tales of good dragons
From the inhabitants of China, the ancient Koreans adopted the love of dragons, which their imagination gave rise to an extraordinary number. Each of them was given special features, depending on the place of his residence. In contrast to the ideas that took root among European and most Slavic peoples, in Asia these scary-looking creatures were perceived as positive characters. Korean dragons, for example, helped people with their miracles, fought evil in all available ways. They were indispensable companions of the rulers.
In folklore, the legend of a dragon named Yong who lived in ancient times is very popular. Unlike most of his brethren, he was a mortal being. Having lived a long life at the palaces of local rulers, Yong once felt that his earthly path was completed. On his deathbed, he promised that, being in another world, he would forever remain the patron of Korea and the East (Japanese)the sea washing its shores.
Folk fantasy inhabited lakes, rivers and even ocean depths with dragons, from where they sent rains that were so necessary for them to fields and forests. These mythical animals appear not only in the oral tales of the Koreans, but also in all areas of art without exception. They even penetrated into politics, where from time immemorial they were considered the personification of emperors. At the same time, none of the lower rulers was allowed to use their symbols.
The external difference between Korean dragons and their relatives, distributed throughout the world, is the absence of wings and the presence of a long beard. In addition, they are often depicted holding in one of their paws a certain symbol of power, reminiscent of royal power. It's called "Eiju". According to legend, the daredevil who manages to snatch it from the clutches of the monster will become omnipotent and gain immortality. Many tried to do this, but, having failed, laid down their heads. To this day, the dragons have not let Yeiju out of their clutches.
The closest relatives of Korean dragons
These fantastical creatures include giant snakes known as "Imugi". There are two versions of what they represent in Korean mythology. According to one of them, these are former dragons, but cursed by the gods for some kind of offense and deprived of their main decoration - horns and beards. These creatures will have to serve the punishment imposed on them for a thousand years, after which (subject to decent behavior) they will be returned to their former status.
According to another version, Imoogi are not guilty creatures, but larvaedragons that take a thousand years to develop into full-fledged fairy-tale reptiles with horns and a beard. Be that as it may, it is customary to depict them as huge, good-natured snakes, somewhat reminiscent of modern pythons. According to the legend, they live in caves or deep reservoirs. The Imoogi bring them good luck when they meet people.
There is another curious creature in Korean mythology, which is an analogue of the well-known snake, which has many fabulous properties. It is called "Keren", which literally means "rooster dragon". He is given a modest role as a servant to more powerful mythical heroes. Many ancient images of this snake, harnessed to the carts of the reigning persons, have been preserved. However, once he happened to excel. According to legend, from the egg of this Korean basilisk in 57 BC. e. the princess who became the founder of the ancient state of Silla was born.
Spirits - guardians of dwellings
Besides dragons, in Korean mythology, a significant place is given to the images of other fairy-tale characters who relentlessly accompanied a person throughout his life. These are the closest relatives of our Slavic brownies - very funny creatures called "tokkebi".
They settle in people's dwellings, but at the same time they do not hide behind the stove, but develop a very violent activity: for good deeds they reward the owner of the house with gold, and for bad deeds they harm him. Tokkebi willingly become interlocutors of people, and on occasion even drinking companions. They are usually depicted as horned dwarfs covered with wool. They always wear animal masks on their faces.
The ancient Koreans entrusted their homes from all sorts of troubles and misfortunes not only to various kinds of spirits, but also to the deities that made up the highest celestial pantheon. It is known that the patroness of the dwellings of Opschin enjoyed invariable reverence. This generous celestial not only protected families from disasters, but also attracted good luck and we alth.
However, despite all the good deeds, among other Korean gods, she stood out in that folk fantasy “rewarded” her with an unpleasant appearance - a snake, spider, toad or rat. In real life, it was strictly forbidden to kill these creatures for fear of incurring the wrath of the goddess Opschin.
Communist Godzilla
In addition to the dragons mentioned above, among the mythical animals of Korea, chimeras called "pulgasari" were very popular. They were a fantastic hybrid of a tiger, a horse and a bear. Among people, these creatures enjoyed appreciation for protecting the sleeping from bad dreams. However, for this they had to be fed, and they ate exclusively iron, which at that time was very expensive.
It is curious that today the image of the pulgasari is often used in Korean cinema as a kind of ideological element. According to legend, the monster was created from rice grains, and then helped the peasants in the fight against the exploiting feudal lords. In this regard, he even adopted the nickname"Communist Godzilla".
Demons in the representation of the people of Korea
Korean mythology is also very rich in demons, one of the varieties of which is called "kvischin". According to legend, these evil and insidious creatures are born every time someone leaves the world as a result of a violent death or becomes a victim of an unjust sentence. In these cases, his soul does not find rest. Having gained supernatural powers, she takes revenge on everyone left on earth.
Among all the demons of Korean mythology, a special category is quischins, who were born as a result of the untimely death of unmarried girls. These spirits of darkness are extremely embittered, because, being in a human body, they were deprived of the opportunity to fulfill the main female destiny - to get married and give birth to a child. They are depicted as gloomy ghosts dressed in mourning clothes, over which long strands of white hair fall.
From Japanese folklore, Koreans borrowed the image of Gumiho, a fox with nine tails that used to turn into a woman to seduce naive men. Having retired with another victim for love pleasures, the evil werewolf devoured her heart. According to Korean demonology, each Gumiho is a real woman in the past, cursed for excessive lust, and therefore doomed to destroy her lovers.
The curse on her is not forever. It can be removed, but for this the werewolf-fox must refrain from killing for a thousand days, and this is beyond her power. There is another way"healing". It consists in the fact that a man who sees a Gumiho in someone must keep his discovery a secret. But this path is also unlikely, since it is difficult not to share such news with others.
Varieties of demons in Korean mythology
Along with reverence for the sky, on which the well-being and life of people depend, Koreans have spiritualized all visible nature since ancient times, inhabiting it with countless armies of demons and spirits. It is generally accepted that these fantastic creatures not only fill the air, earth and sea, but are also found in every stream, ravine and forest thicket. Chimneys, cellars and closets are literally teeming with them. It is hardly possible to find a place inaccessible to them.
According to Korean mythology, demons come in two categories, each with its own characteristics. The first group includes spirits that have come from hell to do evil and harm people in every possible way. In alliance with him, the souls of the dead poor and those whose life path was full of hardships act. After becoming demons after death, they roam the earth, taking out their anger on everyone who gets in their way.
The second category includes demons born in the gloomy depths of the other world, but capable of good deeds. Their closest allies are the shadows of people whose lives have been filled with happiness and virtue. All of them do not refuse good deeds, but the trouble is that by their nature they are extremely touchy and capricious.
In order to get the desired help from these demons, people have topreliminarily “cajole” with sacrifices. In Korea, a whole system of rituals was developed for this case, allowing earthly people to enter into communication with otherworldly forces. It is generally accepted that the happiness and well-being of each person depends precisely on his ability to win over kind, but wayward demons.
The horse that became the symbol of the nation
A Korean mythical winged horse named Chollino, capable of covering great distances in the blink of an eye, has become a peculiar product of folk fantasy. With all his virtues, he possessed such a violent disposition that none of the riders could sit on him. Having once soared into the sky, the horse melted into the azure blue. In North Korea, the Chollima horse is a symbol of the nation's movement along the path of progress. A mass popular movement is named after him, similar to the one that was called Stakhanov's in the USSR.
In the capital of the DPRK, Pyongyang, one of the subway lines bears the name of the winged horse. It was also awarded to the national football team. Since the revolutionary spirit of the North Korean people is embodied in the image of this mythical creature, it is often used to create posters and sculptural compositions of an ideological orientation. One of them is presented in our article above.
Mermaids
In addition to the above-mentioned brownie named Dokkebi, mermaids are also present in Korean mythology. More precisely, there is one mermaid here, whose name is Ino. She, like the Slavic maidens of the waters, is a half-woman, half-fish. Ino lives in the Sea of Japan near Jeju Island.
Outwardly, she is very different from the inhabitants of the Dnieper and Volga backwaters. According to eyewitnesses (they say there were more than a hundred of them), this “beauty” has six or seven pairs of long legs, which is why with its lower half it resembles not a fish, but an octopus. Her torso, arms and head are quite human, but covered with smooth and slippery skin, like that of a burbot. Complements the image of the sea maiden with a long horse tail.
Periodically, the mermaid Ino gives birth to offspring that feeds breast milk. She is a very caring mother. When one of the children upsets her, she cries bitterly. Tears, appearing from the eyes, immediately turn into pearls. In Korean folklore, she is given the place of a quite friendly character.
Heirs of the mythical mermaids
Near Jeju Island, the creators of legends noticed another variety of sea maidens, who also had a very extravagant appearance. They were covered with small scales, and instead of arms, fins protruded from the sides. In the lower part of the body they, like all decent mermaids, had a fish tail. Representatives of this type of mythical creatures, called "Khene", loved to have fun, but not always their entertainment was harmless. It is "for certain" known that some of them, turning into beautiful maidens, lured gullible men into the depths of the sea.
It is interesting to note that currently the name "Haene" is carried in Korea by unique women - professional divers from Jeju Island. Diving without scuba geardepth up to 30 meters, they are engaged in the industrial collection of oysters, sea urchins and other seafood. It seems incredible, but their average age ranges from 70 to 80 years. They have no young followers. Haene divers, according to the Korean government, are the hallmark of the island, its vanishing cultural heritage.
