18. Languages Heading to the East!!

[말레이]

18. Languages Heading to the East!!

Mugunghwa = “Do not forget the dream of the East

(Building a Divine Nation = Benefiting All Mankind)!”

Hwanung gathered all the tribes who had always felt a burden towards the East due to their grandfather, Shem, representing the chosen people. Before moving east again, they completed all preparations and gathered to bid farewell to their relatives. The families also gathered to say goodbye, bringing many gifts to be used effectively in the East and to encourage them to become a good people who live with God.

These gifts included pottery and household utensils unique to the Shem tribe, and tools made of obsidian from Mount Ararat, which were very useful despite being precious. They also prepared hibiscus trees as gifts, symbolizing the message “Do not forget the purpose of heading east!” The scientific name of the hibiscus is “Hibiscus syriacus (a Syrian mallow),” known in English as the Rose of Sharon, originating from Syria. This hibiscus has been a symbol of the Korean people since ancient times. As they moved east, they planted and nurtured these flowers, never forgetting their purpose. Later, the hibiscus became the national flower of Korea and Malaysia, symbolizing the migration routes of the time.

Hwanung, with gratitude, bid farewell to his relatives and received Shem’s blessing before finally departing for the East. Nimrod, saddened by parting with his son, gave him the heavenly seal (Cheonbuin) and bronze mirrors, swords, and spears, symbols of the Assyrian king. Hwanung accepted the heavenly seal but refused the bronze items, which symbolized Assyria’s corruption. Accompanied by Wind God, Rain God, Cloud God, and about three thousand followers, Hwanung embarked on a long journey to the East, although some secretly carried the bronze items.

After a long wait, Hwanung finally set off for the East. They first moved north between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, then continued east through Central Asia. Their historic journey continued until they reached the Korean Peninsula, at the same latitude as their starting point. Along the way, Hwanung allowed descendants who wished to stay or go in different directions to do so, fulfilling God’s command to “fill the earth” while never forgetting his special purpose to move eastward.

As they moved east, they encountered the Ural Mountains, which they had to cross. Hwanung, concerned about his people’s health in the cold, used God’s wisdom to feed them mugwort and garlic, which helped them endure the cold. However, some members of the Tiger tribe, exhausted and unsure of their direction, decided to return to the southern region of Moscow, where the descendants of Japheth lived. Hwanung reluctantly allowed them to leave.

The problem was Suroa, who secretly loved Hwanung, and he loved her dearly. When she decided to return with her tribe and father, Hwanung had to let her go, despite his deep sorrow. Suroa, too, tearfully followed her tribe and father.

After parting with Suroa, Hwanung continued east with the descendants of Arphaxad, Shem’s third son, and the Bear tribe, who still followed him. They faced the towering Tian Shan Mountains, but Hwanung encouraged his people to overcome any obstacles with God’s help. As they crossed the mountains, they sang a song expressing their determination and faith:

Arirang, Arirang, Arariyo,

Crossing over Arirang Pass.

The one who leaves me behind

Will not go far before their feet hurt.

The song’s meaning was:

With God! With God!

Crossing the mountains with God.

Those who leave us,

Come back and go with us!

This song, expressing their longing and faith, was passed down through generations, eventually becoming the Korean folk song “Arirang.” The song, filled with the sorrow and determination of their ancestors, was especially cherished by the people of Gangwon Province, who lived in mountainous regions. Over time, the pronunciation changed from “Arirang” to “Arirang,” and it became a beloved folk song of the Korean people.

We often thought of “Arirang” as just another folk song, but it holds a special power that cannot be explained in words. According to an AP report, “Arirang” was selected as the most beautiful song in the world by a competition of top composers, with an overwhelming 82% of the votes, even though no Korean composers participated. Even so, Arirang was chosen as the most beautiful song there!

It is truly a heartwarming and proud moment. During the Japanese occupation, there is a story about Na Woon-gyu’s film “Arirang,” which awakened the spirit of our nation in those dark times. Once, the Japanese invaders played the Arirang song to boost the morale of our young people who were taken to Japan as laborers (to exploit more labor). Instead of working harder, the Korean laborers went on strike as soon as they heard the Arirang song. The moment they heard the song, their dormant national spirit was awakened. It is said that overseas compatriots feel a sense of being Korean when they hear the Arirang song, and they stay up all night with longing for their homeland. What secret does Arirang hold that keeps them awake at night? It is because the song contains the sorrow of our ancestors heading east, it resembles the life we have lived, and it is the Arirang we empathized with while growing up in that environment.

Additionally, there is a legend in the land of the Korean Peninsula where a bear and a tiger were given garlic and mugwort and told that if they ate it in a cave for a month, they would become human. The tiger couldn’t endure and left the cave midway, but the bear endured and became a woman, later marrying Hwanung and giving birth to Dangun. This story has been passed down orally and became a legend, known to future generations.

The descendants of Shem, who embarked on a great journey with Hwanung, crossed enormous mountain ranges and reached Lake Baikal, known as the “North Sea” in Chinese characters. Upon seeing the lake, all the people were repeatedly amazed by its beauty and clarity. It was as if the Baikal mountain range was protecting the lake, and the lake was so vast that its end was not visible. Moreover, the water was so clear that you could see up to 40 meters deep, yet it was so deep that its depth couldn’t be measured. Even in midsummer, the water was so cold that you couldn’t keep your hands and feet in it for long. The lake was so fresh and its blue color covered the surroundings, making the scenery exceptionally beautiful. The people were so mesmerized by the scenery that they stood dazed, staring at it. They named it “Baigal,” meaning “lake of nature,” and this pronunciation later evolved to “Baikal.”

Lake Baikal gave the descendants of Shem, who were migrating eastward, a feeling of a mother’s embrace. Hwanung thought it would be good for the tired people to rest here for a while. He married Asanyeo, the daughter of the bear tribe chief, whom he loved. However, as they encountered the abundant clear water and plentiful food, people began to secretly wish to stay here rather than continue eastward. Seeing this, Hwanung gathered the people and said,

“We did not head east to find a good environment,

but to live as God’s people.”

He emphasized that there was still a long way to go and declared,

“This is not the place.

This is not the land God has given us!”

He then packed up and continued to lead the people southeast. The people regained their spirits and continued to follow Hwanung. After overcoming all sorts of hardships and arriving in Harbin, Manchuria, Hwanung finally stopped and said,

“This is indeed the land of our dreams,

the land of Hongik Ingan!”

He named the land “Asadal,” meaning “land where the morning sun rises,” and this marked the end of the 90,000-ri long journey, which took about 22 years.

However, Hwanung did not stop at finding the new land. He set out again with only Pungbaek, Usa, and Unsa to find a holy mountain to worship God, like Mount Ararat. After a long journey, they found a high mountain covered with white snow, resembling Mount Ararat. At the top of the mountain, there was a pond that looked like the sky. Hwanung designated this place as the mountain to worship God, and it was Mount Baekdu. He declared that they would live as God’s people in the peninsula stretching south from there.

However, during their migration to this place, the sorrow of parting they experienced in present-day Russia or Siberia was repeated here. No one knew that the chiefs of the Japheth and Ham tribes, who had followed Hwanung on the long journey, would not be able to live together here due to an unexpected incident. What happened that made it impossible for them to live together here?