Posterity of Heaven
Encyclopedia
Posterity of Heaven or Cheonson (천손, 天孫) designates the Korean people
because they are considered the descendants of Heaven or the heavenly god. Based on historical records, the ancient Koreans generally worshiped the heavens and the sun, liked brightness, and considered their states governed by Heaven.
Because the thought about the Posterity of Heaven, an archaic word says that the people's mind is equal to the Heaven's mind, which warns rulers of the significance of the people. The Korean national anthem, Aegukga
supports this concept. The lyrics of Aegukga
say "May our nation be eternal by the protection and help of Heaven." In addition, the National Foundation Day, Gaecheonjeol
literally means the day when the sky was opened. It is natural that the sky should be opened for the Posterity of Heaven to found a nation.
. These divine regents were called Hwanin
, Hwanung
and Dangun
, based on the period.
Korean kingdoms had never used an emperor (Huángdì, 皇帝) as the title of rulers because they thought that the highest rulers was Heaven, and all rulers must be a representative of Heaven. This concept of the Posterity of Heaven is somewhat different from the Chinese concept of the Son of Heaven
or a Chinese emperor. It is believed that the Chinese emperor governs the Chinese as the son of Heaven. But, the Koreans believe that they themselves are the descendants of Heaven, the Heavenly God governs them by himself, and a king of a nation is nothing but the supervisor as a representative of Heaven.
, they have had an anniversary sacrifice (month is as lunar calendar). Scholars say that dolmen
in Manchuria and Korean Peninsula was an altar to sacrifice to Heaven.
Korean people
The Korean people are an ethnic group originating in the Korean peninsula and Manchuria. Koreans are one of the most ethnically and linguistically homogeneous groups in the world.-Names:...
because they are considered the descendants of Heaven or the heavenly god. Based on historical records, the ancient Koreans generally worshiped the heavens and the sun, liked brightness, and considered their states governed by Heaven.
Because the thought about the Posterity of Heaven, an archaic word says that the people's mind is equal to the Heaven's mind, which warns rulers of the significance of the people. The Korean national anthem, Aegukga
Aegukga
Aegukga is the national anthem of South Korea. The title literally means "The Song of Love for the Country," or "The Patriotic Song."It is believed that the lyrics were written for the cornerstone-laying ceremony of the Independence Gate in Seoul in 1896 by Yun Chiho, a politician, or by An...
supports this concept. The lyrics of Aegukga
Aegukga
Aegukga is the national anthem of South Korea. The title literally means "The Song of Love for the Country," or "The Patriotic Song."It is believed that the lyrics were written for the cornerstone-laying ceremony of the Independence Gate in Seoul in 1896 by Yun Chiho, a politician, or by An...
say "May our nation be eternal by the protection and help of Heaven." In addition, the National Foundation Day, Gaecheonjeol
Gaecheonjeol
Gaecheonjeol is a public holiday in South Korea on 3 October. Also known by the English name National Foundation Day, this holiday celebrates the creation of the state of Gojoseon founded by Dangun Wanggeom in the year 2333 BC....
literally means the day when the sky was opened. It is natural that the sky should be opened for the Posterity of Heaven to found a nation.
Title of rulers
In very ancient times, there was no ruler for the Koreans. Instead, there were a divine regent who had supervised and taught the people as a representative of the Heavenly GodGod
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
. These divine regents were called Hwanin
Hwanin
Hwanin, or "Divine Regent" is a figure in Korean mythology. In the traditional Dangun mythology he is portrayed as the Emperor of Heaven himself, with his son Hwanung 환웅 and his grandson Dangun being the mythical founder of Korea...
, Hwanung
Hwanung
Hwanung is an important figure in the mythological origins of Korea. He plays a central role in the story of Dangun Wanggeom , the legendary founder of Gojoseon, the first kingdom of Korea. Hwanung is the son of Hwanin , the "Lord of Heaven"...
and Dangun
Dangun
Dangun Wanggeom was the legendary founder of Gojoseon, the first Korean kingdom, around present-day Liaoning, Manchuria, and the Korean Peninsula. He is said to be the "grandson of heaven", and to have founded the kingdom in 2333 BC...
, based on the period.
- The Hwanin (환인, 桓因 or 桓仁) was a supervisory ruler at legendary Hwanguk. The word "hwan" in Hwanin is the radical of the Korean word that corresponds to "bright" in English, and it is believed that Hwan is originally used to represent the heavens. Because the Koreans think of themselves as the descendants of the Heavenly God, the ancient Koreans called themselves Hwan. The word "In" of Hwanin means a providential supervisor as a representative of the Heavenly God such that the benefits of the Heavenly God should be maximally served to the entire people, and the whole nation should be enlightened by the teaching of the Heavenly. Thus, Hwanin can be translated as Divine Regent. The word Hwanin is just to borrow the phonetic values of Chinese scripts, and must not be interpreted using the meaning of the Chinese characters.
- The Hwanung (환웅, 桓雄) was a supervisory ruler at legendary Baedal, and the power of Hwanun seems to be stronger than Hwanin. Because the word "woong" of Hwanwoong means a preeminent person, and it seems that "In" is just replaced with "woong" to make the word. This implies that Hwanun was likely to be elected among the eminent people in nations. Korean legendary history books say that the ruler of Baedal nation was selected to be a ruler because he is so wise and brilliant. thus, Hwanun can be translated into Supreme Divine Regent. In the word of Hwanung, the first syllable, "Hwan" borrows the phonetic value of Chinese script, and the second syllable borrows the meaning of Chinese script.
- The Dangun (단군, 檀君) was a ruler's title of GojoseonGojoseonGojoseon was an ancient Korean kingdom. Go , meaning "ancient," distinguishes it from the later Joseon Dynasty; Joseon, as it is called in contemporaneous writings, is also romanized as Chosŏn....
, and it is said to a theocracy state. It is said that Gojoseon was founded at the place where many birch trees existed. At that time, people roughly called the Gojoseon as the Birchen Nation because Chinese character "Dan" means a birch tree. At this time, the power of a ruler was stronger than Baedal nation so that the word "Gun" was used ("Gun" means a king). Thus, Dangun can be translated into Heavenly Regent King. Someone say that the pronunciation of Korean translation for Dan(檀) is similar with the pronunciation of the Korean word "bright." So, Dangun means the king of "Bright Nation."
- The Taewang (태왕, 太王) was a ruler's title of GoguryeoGoguryeoGoguryeo or Koguryŏ was an ancient Korean kingdom located in present day northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula, southern Manchuria, and southern Russian Maritime province....
. The "Tae" in Taewang means literally great. The people of Goguryeo also had the consciousness of the Posterity of Heaven, but the power of a ruler seemed to be more powerful than Gojoseon. Based on national religion, the whole universe is composed of three things such as the Heaven, the Earth and the Great. It is said that the Great is the noblest among them, and the Great connect and mediate the Heaven and the Earth. So, Taewang can be translated into Supreme King.
Korean kingdoms had never used an emperor (Huángdì, 皇帝) as the title of rulers because they thought that the highest rulers was Heaven, and all rulers must be a representative of Heaven. This concept of the Posterity of Heaven is somewhat different from the Chinese concept of the Son of Heaven
Emperor of China
The Emperor of China refers to any sovereign of Imperial China reigning between the founding of Qin Dynasty of China, united by the King of Qin in 221 BCE, and the fall of Yuan Shikai's Empire of China in 1916. When referred to as the Son of Heaven , a title that predates the Qin unification, the...
or a Chinese emperor. It is believed that the Chinese emperor governs the Chinese as the son of Heaven. But, the Koreans believe that they themselves are the descendants of Heaven, the Heavenly God governs them by himself, and a king of a nation is nothing but the supervisor as a representative of Heaven.
Anniversary sacrifice to Heaven
Because of the Koreans' thought about Heavenly offspringOffspring
In biology, offspring is the product of reproduction, of a new organism produced by one or more parents.Collective offspring may be known as a brood or progeny in a more general way...
, they have had an anniversary sacrifice (month is as lunar calendar). Scholars say that dolmen
Dolmen
A dolmen—also known as a portal tomb, portal grave, dolmain , cromlech , anta , Hünengrab/Hünenbett , Adamra , Ispun , Hunebed , dös , goindol or quoit—is a type of single-chamber megalithic tomb, usually consisting of...
in Manchuria and Korean Peninsula was an altar to sacrifice to Heaven.
- GojoseonGojoseonGojoseon was an ancient Korean kingdom. Go , meaning "ancient," distinguishes it from the later Joseon Dynasty; Joseon, as it is called in contemporaneous writings, is also romanized as Chosŏn....
: Sangdalje (상달제, 上月祭) at October. - BuyeoBuyeoBuyeo can mean:*Buyeo kingdom, a kingdom located in today's North Korea and southern Manchuria from around the 2nd century BC to 494 AD*Buyeo County, a county in South Chungcheong Province, South Korea, and one-time capital of the ancient kingdom of Baekje...
: Yeonggo (영고, 迎鼓) at November. - DongyeDongyeDongye, which means the Eastern Ye, was a Korean chiefdom which occupied portions of the northeastern Korean peninsula from roughly 3rd-century BCE to around early 5th-century. It bordered Goguryeo and Okjeo to the north, Jinhan to the south, and China's Lelang Commandery to the west...
: Mucheon (무천, 舞天) at October. - SamhanSamhanThe Samhan period of Korean history comprises confederacies of Mahan, Jinhan, and Byeonhan in central and southern Korean peninsula, during the final century BCE and the early centuries CE....
: Gipungje (기풍제, 祈豊祭) at May, and Chusugamsaje (추수감사제, 秋收感謝祭, Harvest festival) at October. - GoguryeoGoguryeoGoguryeo or Koguryŏ was an ancient Korean kingdom located in present day northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula, southern Manchuria, and southern Russian Maritime province....
: Dongmaeng (동맹, 東盟) at October. - SillaSillaSilla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and one of the longest sustained dynasties in...
: Palgwanhoe (팔관회, 八關會). This sacrifice seems to be mixed with BuddhismBuddhismBuddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
. - GoryeoGoryeoThe Goryeo Dynasty or Koryŏ was a Korean dynasty established in 918 by Emperor Taejo. Korea gets its name from this kingdom which came to be pronounced Korea. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392...
: Palgwanhoe (팔관회, 八關會), Choje (초제, 醮祭). - JoseonJoseon DynastyJoseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...
: Sajik Daeje (사직대제, 社稷大祭). Joseon was used to perform the national soil and grain ceremonies mixed with Korean Confucian traditions.