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[Abstract]

In this article, the myth of Dangun not only shows the identity of the Korean people, but is also described by Carl G. Jung as an archetype of the common religious mentality of mankind.

Carl G. Jung and Archetype

그러나 무의식에는 이러한 개인적 특성과는 관계없이 사람이면 누구에게서나 발견되는 보편적 내용이 있다. 이러한 내용은 태어난 이후의 경험내용에서 나온 것이 아니라 태어날 때 이미 가지고 나오는 무의식의 층으로서 일찌기 의식된 일이 없는 것들이다. 이것은 개인의 특성보다 인류일반의 특성을 나타내는 요소들이다. 누구에게서나 보편적으로 존재한다는 뜻에서 융은 이를 집단무의식(das kollektive Unbewusste), 초개인무의식(das uberpersonliche Unbewusste)혹은 비개인무의식(das unpersonliche Unbewusste)이라 하였다. 집단무의식은 원형들로 구성된다. 원형이란 인간의 가장 원초적인 행동유형을 말하는데, 이것은 신화를 산출하는 그릇이며 우리 마음속의 종교적 원천이다.

However, the unconscious has universal contents that can be discovered by any person, regardless of these individual characteristics. This kind of content does not emerge from the content of experiences after birth, but is something that has never been consciously conscious, as it is an unconscious layer that we already bring with us when we are born. This is an element that indicates the characteristics of humanity in general rather than the characteristics of individuals. In the sense that it exists universally for everyone, C.G. Jung has called the collective unconscious (das kollektive Unbewusste), the superpersonal unconscious (das uberpersonliche Unbewusste), or the impersonal unconscious (das unpersonliche Unbewusste). The collective unconscious is organized in archetypes. Archetype refers to the most basic type of human behavior, which is a vessel for producing myths and a religious source in our minds.

trans. ED, 이죽내, 『융 심리학과 동양사상』, 하나의학사, 2005, 28.

The ‘Dangun myth’ is a Korean creation myth that tells the story of the founding of Gojoseon¹ and its first king, Dangun Wanggeom. The Dangun myth tells the story of the heavenly god ‘Hwanung’ coming down to the human world and giving a bear and a tiger a chance to become humans. The bear passes the test and is transformed into a female human, then marries Hwanung and gives birth to Dangun.
According to Jung, all humans have a layer of universal unconsciousness. It refers to the psychological structure that humans are born with. This layer of the unconscious is called the ‘collective unconscious.’ The collective unconscious is composed of archetypes and represents the most fundamental form of religious mentality and behavior. Although the Dangun myth is about the origins and identity of Korean people, we can find psychological and mythological themes that are common to humanity. For example, the story of Hwanung and the Bear speaks to the archetype of transformation and rebirth, and the bear’s long, patient ordeal in the cave to become human points to personal growth through suffering. The story of Hwanung coming down from the sky and bringing law and order to the human world can be found in many cultures and myths. Therefore, it is possible to discover a point of connection between Korean culture and the common religious culture of mankind.

1. Gojoseon was a country that existed in Liaodong and the northwestern part of the Korean Peninsula until its destruction by the Han Dynasty in 108 BC. According to the Dangun myth, 2333 BC, the 50th year of King Yao’s accession to the throne, was the year of the founding of the nation.(2008. 17) ↩︎

[Reference]

• 이죽내, 『융 심리학과 동양사상』, 하나의학사, 2005.
• 한자경, 『한국철학의 맥』, 이화여자대학교출판문화원, 2008.