Korean Mythical Creatures ------------------------------------------- Some creatures that appear and are based on Korean mythology. Hananim --------------- The supreme god of ancient Korea. As the master of the universe he moves the stars. Hananim punishes the wicked, and rewards the good. Hwanin ------------- The emperor-god of heaven and earth. The term is originally from Indian Buddhist scriptures, where it means "Lord of Heaven." He allowed his son Hwanung to descend to earth and found a city on Mount T'aebaek. Hwanung ---------------- The son of Hwanin, he descended from heaven to Mount T'aebaek and founded the City of the Gods (City of Spirits, Baedal kingdom, Shinsi, or Guri) beneath a sacred tree. From this city he ruled the people and instructed them in agriculture, medicine, justice and other matters. He was hailed by the people as "King of Heaven." Two animals, a tiger and a bear, desired to become human, so they prayed daily to Hwanung. Hwanung heard their prayers and appeared to them. He instructed them to stay in a cave for one hundred days, eating only mugwort and garlic. The tiger was impatient and failed the test, but the bear persevered and was transformed into a beautiful woman. Hwanung married her, and she bore him a son, Dangun Wanggeom, who would later found the Go Joseon kingdom. Yobi ------- Yobi, the Five Tailed Fox is a 2007 animated Korean film by Lee Sung-gang, the director of My Beautiful Girl, Mari. The film loosely draws upon the Korean folk tales of the Kumiho the nine-tailed fox. Chang ---------- Chang'e or Chang-o, originally known as Heng'e, is the Chinese goddess of the Moon. She is the subject of several legends in Chinese mythology, most of which incorporate several of the following elements: Houyi the archer, a benevolent or malevolent emperor, an elixir of life, and of course, the Moon. In East Asian folklore, she is often portrayed as a companion to the Moon Rabbit which is constantly pounding a substance in a mortar and pestle. In Chinese mythology, it is the elixir of life for her; but in Japanese and Korean versions, it is pounding the ingredients for rice cake. Yama --------- Yama or Yamarāja is the god of death, belonging to an early stratum of Vedic mythology. In the Vedas, Yama is said to have been the first mortal who died. By virtue of precedence, he became the ruler of the departed, called "Lord of the Pitrs". Mentioned by the Buddha in the Pali canon, Yama subsequently entered Buddhist, Chinese, Tibetan, Korean, Vietnam, Japanese mythology as a wrathful god under various transliterations. He is otherwise also called as "Dharmaraja". Yondung Halmoni ----------------------------- An ancient Korean wind goddess, she is celebrated in shamanic rituals where she is fed rice cakes. Sanshilyong -------------------- The Korean god of the mountains. Hanlnim -------------- The Korean god of the sky. Habaek ------------- Water deity who lived in the Yalu River. He had three daughters (Yuhwa, Hweonhwa, and Wuihwa) the eldest Yuhwa was taken by Haemosu to be his bride. Habaek was angered that Haemosu did not honor him with an official offer of marriage and the ensuing ceremony, so he sent a message to Haemosu demanding that he return Yuhwa. Haemosu descended to Habaek's palace, where they tested each other's skill. Being deities, they tested each other in power of metamorphosis. Habaek gave up and acknowledged Haemosu's supremacy (the three stages represented Haemosu's supremacy on air, land, and sea). An official marriage ceremony was held and Habaek sent his daughter Yuhwa to heaven with Haemosu. Before Haemosu's chariot could leave the water, Yuhwa escaped and returned to her father. Habaek was infuriated, and he ordered his daughter's lips stretched out and placed her in a stream. She was later caught in a net by the king's fishermen, and after cutting her lips three times she was finally able to speak. The king took her into his household, where she was impregnated by Haemosu through a sunbeam. Chiha Yo Changgun -------------------------------- A village guardian and a general of the underworld in Korean mythology. Dalnim ------------ The sun in Korean mythology, sister of the moon Haenim. Haenim ------------- The moon in Korean mythology. His sister is Dalnim, the sun. Areong Jong --------------------- The Korean goddess of rainfall. For more information, you can visit: - http://www.pantheon.org/areas/mythology/asia/korean/articles.html - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yama - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yobi,_the_Five_Tailed_Fox - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinsi - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hwanin - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hwanung - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chang%27e - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fox_Sister - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gojoseon - http://www.jejuweekly.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=3036 - http://blog.korea.net/?p=9745 - http://esl.fis.edu/learners/fis/projects/sun-moon/index.htm

• published: 17 May 2015
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