[History Lives On – Gojoseon] Episode 20: Who Was Dangun?
On October 3rd, 2025, South Korea celebrates Gaecheonjeol—Foundation Day. Millions pay respects to Dangun [pronunciation: dahn-goon], the legendary founder of Korea’s first kingdom. Yet a profound question lingers: Was Dangun one person or many? A historical figure or a mythological construct?
In 1281 CE, amid the devastating Mongol invasions, a Korean Buddhist monk named Ilyeon [ee-lyuhn] chronicled the story of Dangun in the Samguk Yusa (Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms). 744 years later, in 2025, Dangun remains at the center of heated debate. Was he a real person? A priestly title passed through generations? Perhaps 47 successive leaders spanning over 2,000 years?
These questions transcend mere academic discourse—they probe the very essence of Korean identity. Who are we? Where do we come from? The answers begin with understanding Dangun. This is his story, told through the lens of history, archaeology, and the enduring power of cultural memory.
◆ The Ancient Landscape
Summer, 1281 CE. In a Buddhist temple near Ganghwa Island, a 68-year-old monk lifts his brush. The thundering hooves of Mongol cavalry still echo in memory—Korea’s Goryeo Dynasty [go-ryuh] has endured decades of brutal invasions. In this crucible of national crisis, Monk Ilyeon begins writing the Samguk Yusa, seeking to preserve Korea’s ancient heritage.
“According to ancient records (gogi),” Ilyeon writes, “long ago, Hwanung [hwahn-oong], son of the heavenly deity Hwanin, descended to Mt. Taebaek…” This is the first surviving detailed account of Dangun in Korean literature. Yet Ilyeon claims earlier Chinese sources—a now-lost text called Wei Shu (Book of Wei)—already mentioned Dangun. Scholars still debate whether this mysterious Chinese text ever existed.
“According to ancient records, long ago there was Hwanung, the son of Hwanin… The bear became a woman, called Ungnyeo [oong-nyuh]… She gave birth to a son, called Dangun Wanggeom [dahn-goon wahng-guhm]. He established his capital at Asadal and first named the kingdom Joseon.”
– Source: Samguk Yusa, Volume 1, Ancient Joseon Section (1281 CE)
◆ Same Era, Different Worlds
🏛️ 13th Century Korea
Under Mongol assault (1231-1270), Korea desperately needed to affirm its identity. Ilyeon’s recording of the Dangun myth became an act of cultural resistance and national memory preservation.
🗿 Central Asia
Mongol and Turkic nomads worshipped Tengri [teng-ree]—the sky god. Interestingly, scholars note linguistic parallels between “Dangun” and “Tengri,” both denoting supreme celestial authority.
🏺 East Asian Context
Founding myths were treated as history: Japan’s Emperor Jimmu (traditionally 660 BCE), China’s Yellow Emperor. Recording Dangun placed Korea within this East Asian tradition of sacred origins.
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[Image: Original manuscript of Samguk Yusa showing the Dangun section, with comparison of different Chinese character representations: 壇君 (altar) vs 檀君 (birch tree)]
📜 Scene from That Day
“1281 CE, Ganghwa Island temple. Monk Ilyeon sits before his desk. The Mongol invasion has shattered Korea—but it cannot erase memory. ‘Who are we?’ he asks himself. ‘Where did we begin?’ His answer: Dangun, the sacred founder.”
“October 1993, Pyongyang’s Daedong River region. North Korean archaeologists unearth a tomb. 86 bone fragments. Electron Spin Resonance dating: 5,011±267 years old. Kim Il-sung declares: ‘Dangun is not myth. He is historical fact.’ South Korean scholars respond with skepticism: ‘Political fabrication.'”
“2016 public survey in South Korea: 1,004 adults asked, ‘Was Dangun a real person?’ Only 37% say yes. 47% call him mythological. Yet 56% believe honoring Dangun is proper—he is real in spirit, if not in flesh.”
◆ Uncovering Historical Truth
Historical records of Dangun vary across time. In 1281, Ilyeon wrote “壇君” (altar-lord). Six years later, in 1287, Yi Seunghyu’s Jewang Ungi used “檀君” (birch-lord). Same pronunciation, different meanings. In 1314, a Yuan Dynasty Chinese scholar mentioned Dangun—the first Chinese reference. By 1454, Korea’s Sejong Sillok (Annals of King Sejong) officially recognized Dangun as Korea’s founding ancestor.
But what does “Dangun” actually mean? In 1927, Choi Namseon proposed that Dangun was not a name but a priestly title—equivalent to “high shaman.” He noted that Korean shamans are still called dangol [dahn-gol], phonetically similar to Dangun. Modern scholars go further, linking Dangun to Tengri [teng-ree], the supreme sky deity of Mongol, Turkic, and Tungusic peoples. Tengri denoted both “sky” and “celestial priest”—one who mediates between heaven and earth.
If Dangun was a title rather than a personal name, this implies multiple Danguns ruled Gojoseon across centuries. The controversial text Dangun Segi (Chronicles of Dangun, authenticity disputed) lists 47 successive Danguns spanning 2,096 years: 1st Dangun Wanggeom, 2nd Dangun Buru, 3rd Dangun Garyeok… through 47th Dangun Goyeolga. In this interpretation, “Dangun” = priestly office; “Wanggeom, Buru, Garyeok” = individual names.
First Record
Samguk Yusa, 1281 CE, Monk Ilyeon
Character Debate
壇君 (altar) vs 檀君 (birch)
Etymology
Tengri (sky god/priest)
Number of Danguns
One person vs 47 rulers
🔍 Academic Perspectives
South Korean Mainstream
Dangun is mythological or a priestly title. Gojoseon existed, but the traditional founding date (2333 BCE) is symbolic. Actual state formation: 7th-4th centuries BCE.
North Korean Position
Post-1993 tomb discovery, shifted stance dramatically. Dangun = real person, 5,011 years ago. Pyongyang = Gojoseon’s center. (South Korean scholars criticize this as politically motivated.)
◆ The 1993 Dangun Tomb Controversy
North Korea’s Bombshell Announcement
On October 2, 1993, North Korea’s Academy of Social Sciences shocked the world. Archaeologists claimed to have discovered the tomb of Dangun himself in Kangdong County, near Pyongyang. Inside: 86 bone fragments from two individuals (male and female). Using Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) dating, they measured the bones at 5,011±267 years old—corresponding roughly to 3000 BCE.
Kim Il-sung ordered immediate reconstruction. By October 11, 1994—Foundation Day—a massive pyramid-style mausoleum replaced the modest original tomb. Standing 22 meters tall, built from 1,994 granite blocks, the new Dangun Tomb became North Korea’s National Treasure #174.
South Korean Academic Critique
- Methodological doubts: ESR dating on bones is notoriously unreliable, especially for remains allegedly 5,000 years old.
- Lack of independent verification: North Korea conducted the excavation alone; no international teams allowed.
- Political timing: Before 1993, North Korea dismissed Dangun as “feudal mythology.” The sudden reversal coincided with Kim Jong-il’s succession.
- Archaeological inconsistency: The tomb’s Goguryeo-style architecture (1st-5th centuries CE) contradicts the claimed 3000 BCE date.
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[Image: North Korea’s reconstructed Dangun Tomb (1994) and South Korea’s Chamseongdan Altar on Ganghwa Island—two monuments representing divergent interpretations of the same founding myth]
◆ Questions for Today
In 2025, South Korea stands as the world’s 10th largest economy. BTS and BLACKPINK captivate global audiences. Samsung and Hyundai are household names worldwide. Yet a fundamental question remains: Who are we?
A 2016 Gallup Korea poll revealed that only 37% of South Koreans believe Dangun was a real person; 47% consider him mythological. This suggests deep ambivalence about national origins. Yet paradoxically, 56% agree that honoring Dangun is appropriate—he is real where it counts: in collective memory and cultural identity.
Perhaps historical facticity misses the point. What matters is that for over 2,000 years, Koreans have revered Dangun as their ancestral founder. The Goryeo Dynasty recorded him during Mongol invasions. The Joseon Dynasty built shrines to him. The Korean Empire adopted the Dangun calendar (dangi). Dangun is not merely myth—he is living historical consciousness, a throughline of cultural continuity across millennia.
| Era | Perception of Dangun | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Goryeo Dynasty | First written records; regional deity → national founder | Forging identity amid Mongol threat |
| Joseon Dynasty | Official state recognition; shrine construction in Pyongyang | Legitimizing dynastic authority |
| Modern Era | Ongoing historicity debate; national holiday (Gaecheonjeol) | Symbol of cultural continuity and national pride |
📚 Deeper Context
- Tengri Connection: Among Mongols and Turks, “Tengri” denoted the supreme sky deity and high shamans who communicated divine will. Genghis Khan’s chief spiritual advisor held the title “Teb Tengri”—second only to the Khan himself in influence.
- Linguistic Evidence: Korean shamans are called dangol or dangolne [dahn-gol-neh], phonetically similar to “Dangun.” The syllable “dan/tan” appears across Altaic languages meaning “sky” or “celestial.”
- Historical Records Timeline: Lost Wei Shu (unknown date) → Samguk Yusa (1281) → Jewang Ungi (1287) → Chinese Yingje Shizhu (1314) → Sejong Sillok (1454).
The Voice of Living History
Dangun may not have been one person. He may have been 47 successive priest-kings, or a title carried across generations. He was an office, a tradition, a spiritual lineage—not merely an individual.
“Between myth and history, we still search for Dangun. That search itself is our identity.”
Previous Episode
Episode 19: Archaeology Unveils Gojoseon
Next Episode
Episode 21: Territorial Debate—Liaodong or Pyongyang?
The Korean Today “History Lives On” Series
The Gojoseon Chronicle (23 Episodes)
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