The Story of the Creation- of the Nation

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The Korean peninsula, home to the least ethnic diverse place in the world. From kingdoms to empires to hundreds of small kingdoms, united dynasties, an empire, then a colony, to two republics, communist and democratic. We've already discussed about the early days in the southern part of the nation, and now let's discuss about the creation of the first nationalistic government of Korea- which is a mix of legends and history.

Here goes the story.

It was around 2400 B.C.E. The god "환인" (Hwanin) had a son named "환웅" (Hwanung). Hwanung wanted to go down to the Earth and teach the people skills that would improve their lives, such as farming. So he asked his daddy, who accepted the idea, and after telling him "홍익인간" (Hongikingan, meaning in Sino-Korean "Widespread mankind and make them useful", currently the motto of South Korea) 3,000 servants with him, as well as a sword, a small mirror, and a bell- at the time symbols of holiness and immortals.

Hwanung landed in the top of Taebaek mountain, in current Gangwon province, and founded a city underneath it (by a tree later named 신단수, Shindansu) which flourished, with the people living there doing 360 jobs and tasks. But two creatures weren't so satisfied- in fact, two animals, a tiger and a bear. 

The two, who wanted to become human beings, asked Hwanung desperately. Hwanung, then gave the animals some holy 20 garlics and asteraceae (a kind of vegetable root used in traditional medication), and told them to stay in a cave for 100 days and not look at sunlight, as that would turn them into human beings. So the tiger and the bear did the task, in which the tiger quit in the process; in fact, less than 20 days, and I know this because the bear turned into a beautiful woman in not even 100 days, but 21.

Ungnyo (Bear Woman), however, was treated as an outcast of the town, because she was once a bear. So she went to the Shindansu and prayed to God that she get a child. Hwanung saw this situation, and then married with Ungnyo, and they had a child named "단군" (Dangun), who later, eventually founded Old Joeson Dynasty at 2333 B.C.E. and ruled for 1500 years, changing the capital of this vast nation spreading from Seoul to all of Manchuria and parts of current Russia, to 백악산아사달 (Baekaksanasadal). The dynasty is called "Old Joeson" because later in 1392 C.E., 3725 years later, founds Joeson Dynasty to commemorate the Old Joeson. 

And that is the story of the foundation of a one true Korean nation.

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