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The origin of the Korean people is not
easily explained. However, since historical records show that Ko Choson
(Old Choson), was the first Korean kingdom, it can be taken as the original of
the Korean people. The life of Ko Choson's heroic founder is described in
the Tan-gun myth.
The Tan-gun mtyh describes Tan=gun's birth
from Hwan-ung, who came down from Heaven, and a bear-woman, who lived on
Earth. As is generally true of mythology, this story is not some
ungrounded fantasy, but is rather a means of explaining historical fact through
the logic of symbols. Its symbolism is used to describe a historical fact,
namely the political coalition that took place during Korea's Bronze Age.
From ancient times, the Korean people have retained Tan-gun as the name of the
hero who founded the first political federation of the Korean people.
Tan-gun is apparently a historical person who lived during a specific stage of
Korea's history, and to the extent that his memory remains within the national
consciousness, he can be considered the ancestor of the Korean people.
The Korean people have, throughout their
history, constantly been threatened by the tremendous military might of
neighboring nations such as China, Manchuria or Mongolia. In this
precarious position, Koreans have found strength in the sense of themselves as a
unique people who are descended from Tan-gun. The ancient records that
referred to Tan-gun were lost in the chaos of frequent wars and invasions.
During the Three Kingdoms period when Koguryo, Paekche and Shila vied for
supremacy, the kingdoms found it difficult to promote the idea of a united
people. Yet in the aftermath of Shilla's unification of the Three Kingdoms
in 668, Koreans' sense of themselves as a people was evident as Shilla joined
forces with the former subjects of Koguryo and Paekche to drive away the Chinese
Tang forces.
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