[KS] Re: Korean myth

[Richard C. Miller]

This is hardly clarity for the identity of T'aebaksan versus Myohyangsan,
but I always understood that Hwangun descended to Paektusan itself, hence
the sacred nature of that peak.

It's worth noting, by the way, the mythology wrought in North Korea
connecting Kim Il-sun and, especially, Kim Jong-il to Paektusan, the latter
who even claims to have been born on that mountain. I can't help thinking
that this story is mostly an attempt to hitch a ride on Korean mythology,
constructing a lineage for him extended back to the beginning of the Korean
people.

Lautensach's geography of Korea clearly lists T'aebaksan and Myohangsan as
two different mountains, one at latitude-longitude  37N-128E, and the other
at 40N-126E. That puts T'aebaksan in Chungchongb ukdo (which, we might
observe, is not part of North Korea),and Myohyangsan in P'yeonganbukdo
(which is part of North Korea). Paektusan is listed at 41N-128E, just for
the sake of completeness.

Perhaps Howe is confusing the Tang'un myth with that of Pak Hyeokkeose,
first king of Silla? Rumour has it that he was born from a golden
egg...that egg must have been laid somewhere near Silla, and of the three
mountains, T'aebaksan is the closest.








                

--Richard C. Miller
--UW School of Music
--rcmiller at students.wisc.edu


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