In the era when letters were not used, history tends to be mythologized through being informed by word of mouth(mythologization of history). Descendents can establish their identity by reestablishing the archetype of the nation and its culture through the process of transforming the myth into the history(historicalization of mythology). In this paper, I sought to investigate the historiographical meaning of the Dan-Gun Wang-Gum Myth
in the process of universal human civilization, and intended to present the historical significance of the origin of Korean nation and the foundation of Ancient Chosun. [The Article Ko-Chosun(old Chosun)-Book First Record] in [Sam-Guk -Yu-Sa], contains the process that: 1) heavenly emperor Hwan-In respected his son Hwan-Ungs will and decided to send him to the earth, 2) Hwan-Ung descended to the earth with a company of about three thousands, and ruled the world with his philosophy; and Hwan-Ung, the Bear Tribe, the Tiger Tribe coexisted in the same era. 3) Hwan-Ung and the Tiger Tribe, Hwan-Ung and the BearTribe were interrelated with each other. 4) Dan-Gun Wang-Gum was born . He established the nation and ruled it with Hong-Ik In-Gan Philosophy(Universal Humanism); later on, he entered into Asadal and became San-Sin(Mountain God). If we can clarify what is the philosophy and historical expenence in the Dan-Gun Wang-Gum Myth, the historical meaning of Dan-Gun Wang-Gum
and the real existence of Ancient Chosun can be explained. What philosophy is implied in this Myth'? The Myth is constructed with Heaven(Hwan-In and his Son), Earth(the unity of Hwan-Ung of Heaven and the Bear of Earth), Human(Dan-Gun Wang-Gum borne by Hwan-Ung and Ung-Nyeo). It induces the Cheon-Ji-In Unification Philosophy(Unification of Heaven and Earth and Human Philosophy), and it is also based on the Hong-Ik In-Gan Philosophy. The historical expenence condensed in the Myth, transcending time and space, can be a basis of the historicalization of the Myth by expanding it. And, I have considered the archetype of the Dan-Gun Wang-Gum Myth with the theory on developing stage of human history of V. Chi Ide and Steward.
First, the first part of the Myth, Hwan-In Era, is related to the religion of a nation. It means that this part does not symbolize a specific period; but emphasizes that the nation is Heavenly descendents by representing the origination of Hwan-Ung, a son of Heaven. Second, the Bear tribe and the Tiger tribe coexisted composing different tribe societies in Hwan-Ung Era, when they began to acquire the residential life style in the human history. The Wind Earl, Rain Master, and Cloud Korean Bronze Age, not only South Korea region but also Manchuria must be included. According to one opinion based on the recent excavation and investigation, the beginning year of the Bronze Age in Manchuria is about
2,400 B.c. Furthermore, another opinion based on the excavation of the Bronze relics of 2,400 B.c. in Korea suggested that the beginning year of the Korean Bronze Civilization is 2,400 B.c. In this context, the foundation year of Dan-Gun Wang-Gum recorded in [Sam-Guk-Yu-Sa] corresponds with the beginning year of the Korean Bronze Age. Thus, we can say that the Dan-Gun Wang-Gum Myth in [Sam-Guk-Yu-Sa] recording the foundation
year of Ancient Chosun as 2,333 B.c. is a reasonable representation of the historical experience of nation. And, the Ancient Chosun Era was a changing period from the Chiefdom Society to the Early State Society. The historical
significance can be found in the aspect that the archetype of Korean nation and its culture has been formed in this period. And, I propose that Ko Chosun(old Chosun) should be renamed as Ko-Dae Chosun(ancient Chosun) and the Dan-Gun Myth should be replaced by the Dan-Gun Wang-Gum Myth.