Mythology Paper

Ancient Korean mythology is full of fantastic, fascinating tales. It teaches about

gods, and demi-gods born in strange ways that come to rule the people on earth from heaven.
It also immerses you in their world, making you feel like you are experiencing the stories
yourself. This is because Korea has a rich cultural heritage. It is a land with thousands of
years of unique history that is shaped by the geography that made it the crossroads of Eastern
Asia.
There is a problem in the field of Ancient Korean mythology. Scholars and experts
have struggled to classify tales, known in Korean as seolhwa. This is because it is such a
broad body of literature. The most common classification of this tale is the myth, known in
Korean as shinhwa, legend, known in Korean as cheonseol, and folktale, known in Korean as
mindam. There are other valid methods of a division as well. One example of another three
class system are tales about animals, ordinary people, and anecdotes. A two class division
would be serious or fantastic tales while another would be myths versus legends and
folktales. The most specific division is fivefold, which takes a vertical hierarchy. On tap are
supernatural tales, followed by hero tales, ordinary people tales, humorous tales, and plant
and animal tales. Mythology about the beginning of the world can be divided into creation
myths and foundation myths. Foundation myths are a subset of creation myths, and they talk
about the origin of people, nation, or culture.
Like other great ancient peoples, many Korean myths come through oral traditions.
However, unlike other cultures, they have the fewer creation of the Earth myths. Most of their
stories assume that the world was already in existence when the tales begin. Some tales talk
of a time of utter chaos and absence of order in the beginning. These tales speak of a crack in
the heavens that divide the earth from the skies. However, these stories are not specific. These
origin myths fall under Foundation myths, myths about origins of Korea and its people.
Although there are several variations, the most popular is the Myth of Tangun, which tells
about Hwangun, a beautiful character that exhibits strength and goodness.
Most national legends and folktales come from all over the Korean peninsula. The
oldest records were written in the 13th century by a Buddhist monk Iryeon and Sagmug Sagi.

Another example is the records at Samguk Yusa, written by government official Kim Busik.
Both of these accounts are based on much older records that are currently lost. Although these
books record Korean mythology, the tone is quite a different. Samguk Sagi is a fact-oriented
author, although he lists founding myths of the Three Kingdoms of Korea: Goguryeo, Baekje,
and Silla. Confucianist scholars consider these myths as not believable. Samguk Yusa,
however, deals mostly with supernatural tales like the founding myth of Gojoseon, the
legendary first kingdom of the Korean people. This same legendary first kingdom is now
believed to be the real life Bronze-age kingdom that later Korean dynasties are stemmed
from, and folktales, legends, and myths of the later periods are recorded. While we do have a
few written accounts, most folklore was passed down through oral tradition. Like other Asian
myths, Korean mythology includes religious elements from Buddhism, Taoism, and
Hinduism.
One way we can examine the thoughts and philosophy of people is through their
myths. Our modern word has relegated the word myth to the same status as untruth. In
ancient Greece, myths were accepted as truth without question. Logos, or logic, was the truth
that could be argued with or proven. The Greeks recognized that myths are symbolic, that
they tell about humanity's nature. That is a truth that cannot be argued with. Moderns laugh at
myths or limit them to children's tales because we fear what it says about us. We like to think
that we are superior to the ancients, but we are just like them.
Noah Webster, an American lexicographer and textbook pioneer, says that denying
myths is present is a common sentiment, but we keep them around as humans because they
still speak to us at a deep level. While it is important to know modern history and current
events of Korea, people will never understand the culture and motivations of the people of
Korea without understanding their mythology. When we understand the mythology of all
peoples, there will be a greater unity and understanding between all peoples.

References
Colberg, Jessica. "Korean Creation Myth." Korean Creation Myth. University of Texas. Web.
25 Apr. 2016. <http://www.laits.utexas.edu/doherty/plan2/colbergcreation.html>.
Peter H. Lee, ed. Sourcebook of Korean Civilization. Volume I: From Early Times to the
Sixteenth Century. New York: Columbia University Press, 1993.
Grayson, James Huntley. Korea A Religious History. New York: Routledge Curzon, 2001.
"Cultured Muse." Cultured Muse. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
<https://culturedmuse.wordpress.com/tag/korean-mythology/>.