Rich Korean Literature - Essay Example

The suitable place was on Mount T’eaeback. In comparison, the she-bear also illustrated a keen interest in being a human being. This is the main reason why the she-bear prayed to the Holy Hwanung. The desire was achieved because the she-bear followed all the instructions of Hwanung, which involved eating sacred mag-worts and being in the darkness for a period of a hundred days. The two are compared because they both developed human forms. The she-bear transformed into a woman, and also the Holy Hwanung changed into a human male. The two procreated, and the resulting son was referred to as Tangun Wangg’om.    2. Korean Shamanistic Tradition  Korean shamanism entails the ancient religion and beliefs of Korean society. In ancient belief, the priest is referred to as the mudang if female and the banks if he is male. The mudang has the main responsibility of being an intermediary between the gods and the people through rituals. The spiritual intermediaries also aim at solving problems that humans experience, in the course of their development. The central concept in Korean Shamanistic practices entails the worship of Hwanin, also known as Haneullim. Hwanin is considered the source of the entire universe, which comprises all the beings and gods that exist in nature. The mu is traditionally illustrated as the descendants of the son of the heavenly king. This investiture is generally passed through the princely lineage. But, certain significant myths in the Korean Shamanistic beliefs connect the heritage of the ancient belief to Dangun. Dangun is considered the male heir to the Heavenly King, and also the initiator or the founder of the ancient Korean nation. Korean Shamanism is closely linked to; Japanese Shinto, Siberian Mongolian, Chinese Wuism, and Manchurian beliefs. Anthropological studies illustrate that the ancient Korean god Dangun has a lot of similarities to; the prince, the Ural-Altaic Tengri, and the shaman. Likewise, mudang is closely associated with Japanese miko and Ryukyuan yuta (Hogarth 117).    3. Historical Issues of Ancient Korea The myth illustrates the adequate relationship between northern China and Korea, before the formation of the Han dynasty. Ancient Korea and Yen state illustrate the adequate political influence of Old Choson during the third century B.C. The literature illustrates the growth of Old Choson and the successor state of Wiman Choson. Adequate illustrations are also done on the development of the four main commanderies located in northern Korea.  Read More