고구려 건국신화는 크게 두 가지 의미를 지니고 있다. 우선 건국신화를 통해 고구려의 시조인 주몽을 신화화함으로써 고구려 왕실과 그 계승자의 정통성과 지배의 정당성을 확보하기 위한 것이다. 다른 한편으로는 고구려에 예속된 다양한 기원을 가진 주민들의 신화와 역사를 고구려 신화 속에 흡수함으로써 고구려가 그들 지역과 주민들의 역사를 이은 그 지역의 패자임을 알리기 위한 것이다. 이는 단순히 고구려의 자긍심의 산물이라기보다는 이러한 합치점을 통해 고구려내의 다양한 종족들을 고구려의 권위 속으로 끌어들이기 위한 것으로 볼 수 있다. 고구려의 시조인 주몽은 5세기「광개토왕릉비」와『위서』에서 주몽신화로 등장한다. 그 내용은 부여의‘동명신화’와 유사한 내용과 구조를 가지고 있으며 주몽이 북부여에서 출자했음을 알리고 있다. 이는 고국원왕 시기에 실추된 왕실의 권위와 국력의 약화를 회복하고 부여를 이어 예맥계사회와 동북아지역의 주도권을 잡을 존재임을 대내외에 알리는 것으로 고구려 정부의 공식입장을 드러내는 것이다. 이러한 주몽신화는『유기』의 편찬시기로 보이는 소수림왕대에 형성된 것으로 보인다. 한편 영양왕 시기에 편찬된『신집』을 통해서는 이미 멸망해 그 영토와 왕실마저 고구려에 귀부한 부여의 정통을 고구려가 이었음을 드러내는 건국신화인 동명성왕신화를 만들어 비로소 주몽이 동명이 되는 부여계승의식을 표방하였다. 이는 양원왕 이후 약해진 왕권의 회복과 강력한 적대국인 수나라의 위협에 맞서 국민적 단합을 꾀함과 동시에 재도약의 기틀을 마련하기 위한 것이다.

The birth myth of Koguryo can be read into two cases. First, it is aimed at exerting the authority of Koguryo and its Royal family in the inside and outside of the country, by making Jumong(朱蒙), the founding father of its nation, a hero in myth. The other is the purpose of announcing as the supreme ruler who had inherited the history of all the places and their people that Koguryo had conquered, putting their myths and histories in its birth myth. These were not just for the part of its pride, but for the aims of unifying various peoples under the ruling of Koguryo. Jumong Mythology(朱蒙神話) that Jumong was born by influencing from the spirit of the sun, escaped from Buyo and founded the nation was written in Yu-gi(留記), which was made in the reign of the king Sosurim(小獸林王). This was the formal declaration of its royal office and was made in order to restore its honor, to regain its national strength, and to take the lead in Northeast Asia in succeeding to Buyo, which had had the hegemony over these areas just before. And then it had been modified and added more mythological elements in Sin-jip(新集), which was made in the reign of the king Yeongyang(嬰陽王). Buyo had already ceased to exist and its royal family had come to Koguryo as exiles. And Koguryo that had possessed the greater part of its territory made the Dongmyongseongwang Mythology(東明聖王神話) and claimed the successor of Buyo that Koguryo had succeeded the legitimacy of its history. This purpose was seeking the unity of peoples who had various historical backgrounds within Koguryo’s territory against the Sue Empire, but at the same time, solidifying the hegemony over the neighboring countries.

The birth myth of Koguryo can be read into two cases. First, it is aimed at exerting the authority of Koguryo and its Royal family in the inside and outside of the country, by making Jumong(朱蒙), the founding father of its nation, a hero in myth. The other is the purpose of announcing as the supreme ruler who had inherited the history of all the places and their people that Koguryo had conquered, putting their myths and histories in its birth myth. These were not just for the part of its pride, but for the aims of unifying various peoples under the ruling of Koguryo. Jumong Mythology(朱蒙神話) that Jumong was born by influencing from the spirit of the sun, escaped from Buyo and founded the nation was written in Yu-gi(留記), which was made in the reign of the king Sosurim(小獸林王). This was the formal declaration of its royal office and was made in order to restore its honor, to regain its national strength, and to take the lead in Northeast Asia in succeeding to Buyo, which had had the hegemony over these areas just before. And then it had been modified and added more mythological elements in Sin-jip(新集), which was made in the reign of the king Yeongyang(嬰陽王). Buyo had already ceased to exist and its royal family had come to Koguryo as exiles. And Koguryo that had possessed the greater part of its territory made the Dongmyongseongwang Mythology(東明聖王神話) and claimed the successor of Buyo that Koguryo had succeeded the legitimacy of its history. This purpose was seeking the unity of peoples who had various historical backgrounds within Koguryo’s territory against the Sue Empire, but at the same time, solidifying the hegemony over the neighboring countries.

, , , , , , ,

The birth myth of Koguryo, the king Sosurim(小獸林王), Yu-gi(留記), Jumong Mythology(朱蒙神話), Dongmyongseongwang Mythology(東明聖 王神話), the successor of Buyo, Sin-jip(新集), the king Yeongyang(嬰陽王)