고조선 건국 신화의 환인과 환웅－부정론에 대한 비판과 실체에 관한 탐구－

Abstract

During the Japanese colonial period, Japanese scholars denied the historical character of the founding myth of Old Joseon(古朝鮮), and in particular, Hwanin(桓因) and Hwanwoong(桓雄) appearing in the myth were treated as being added to the original myth in later generations. The hypothesis that the contents of Hwanin and Hwanwoong were added to myths under the influence of Buddhism and Taoism continues to this day. This paper criticized this argument. Japanese scholars argued that Hwanin is an abbreviation of Seokjehwanin (釋提桓因) in Buddhist scriptures, and that the relationship between Hwanin and Dangun(檀君) was applied to the relationship between Seokjehwanin and Jeondan(栴檀). Otherwise, they paid attention to the records in which Seokjehwanin appeared as a mountain god of Mt. Myohyang, or they argued that Hwanin was included as the belief of Jeseok(帝釋) became popular during the Goryeo(高麗) Dynasty. However, the character of Hwanin in the founding myth of Old Joseon is different from that of Seokjehwanin in Buddhism. The name Hwanin is also not an abbreviation of Seokjehwanin, but is an indigenous word meaning God. Jeseok belief has been popular since the Three Kingdoms period, and it was easily connected with the indigenous belief in heavenly gods. Therefore, it cannot be interpreted only from the Buddhist point of view of the Goryeo period. The myth of the founding of Old Joseon is recorded in several documents besides Samgukyusa(三國遺事). Although it was necessary to investigate these various myths and analyze their uniqueness, Japanese scholars treated them other than the Dangun myth of Samgukyusa as a later manipulation. The differences in various Dangun myths are evident in the stories of the Hwanwoong. When approached from the perspective of acknowledging the uniqueness and historicity of the contents related to Hwanwoong, it can be seen that Hwanwoong symbolizes religious and political leaders in the history of Old Joseon. Therefore, not only Dangun but also Hwanwoong can be interpreted from a historical point of view.