Korean mythology consists of national legends and folk-tales which come from all over the Korean Peninsula. The origin may be a blend of Korean shamanism, Buddhist, Chinese myths, Confucian and Taoist legends and myths. The legends may also vary gre...
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The Cheonjiwang Bonpuri (Korean: 천지왕 본풀이 "Chronicles of Cheonjiwang") is a Korean creation myth, traditionally retold by shamans on the small island of Jejudo. It is one of the best-known creation myths in the Korean Peninsula and many key elements in the Cheonjiwang Bonpuri can be found in the creation myths of the mainland.
Plot
Despite its title, the supreme deity Cheonjiwang (Korean: 천지왕), whose name means "King of the Heavens and the Earth", serves mainly as a secondary character. The protagonists of the myth are instead the two sons of Cheonjiwang, Great Star and Small Star.
Creation of the Rooster Emperors
The myth starts with the creation of the world, when the sky and the earth were one (This concept can be found in most other creation myths; see Chaos and Ginnungagap). As there were no sky nor earth, as a result, there was only an empty void. However, one day, a gap formed in the void. All that was lighter than the gap headed upwards and formed the sky. All that was heavier than the gap fell down to become the earth. From the sky fell a clear blue drop of dew, and from the earth rose a dark black drop of dew. As these two drops mixed, all that existed, except the sun, moon, and the stars, came to be. From these two drops came humans and even the gods.
The leader of the gods, Cheonjiwang, awoke to the cry of the three roosters; the Rooster Emperor of the Sky (Korean: 천황닭), the Rooster Emperor of the Earth (Korean: 지황닭), and the Rooster Emperor of Humans (Korean: 인황닭). According to some scholars, the cry of the roosters signify time.) Cheonjiwang knew that the three roosters were crowing because there was no sun. To appease the roosters, Cheonjiwang crafted two suns and two moons, and made the two suns rise and fall every day and the two moons rise and fall every night.
Sumyeong Jangja's hubris.....
Meanwhile, the king of the mortal human world (Iseung, "This World") was Sumyeong Jangja, the first human to tame the beasts. He ruled atop the humans with his nine horses, nine bulls, and nine bloodhounds, taking most of the crop away and leaving just enough to prevent starvation. Sumyeong Jangja, riding on his chariot pulled by his horses and surrounded by his fierce dogs, was invincible. One day, Sumyeong Jangja cried "Who dare subdue me?", looking up at the sky.
His boast reached the ears of Cheonjiwang. The infuriated god invaded Sumyeong Jangja's kingdom. He rode on his own golden chariot pulled by his five dragons. He ordered his lieutenants, the deities General Lightning (Korean: 번개장군), General Thunder (Korean: 벼락장군), General Fire (Korean: 화덕진군 and Master of the Winds and the Rains (Korean: 풍우도사), to accompany him to Sumyeong Jangja's realm. The four generals themselves led an army of 10,000 soldiers. When Cheonjiwang's army reached Sumyeong Jangja's palace, He climbed up a willow near the palace and cried out; "Foolish human, kneel before me!"
