Study on the Mythology of Dongyi and the Spirit of Korean Cultural Archetypes : Focusing on the Shanhaijing

This text examines the spirit of our cultural archetype through the Dongyi mythology found in the Shanhaijing (Classic of Mountains and Seas). Our ancestors, the Dongyi people, revered birds and worshipped the sun. Birds and the sun are symbols of the sky. Our ancestors believed that the sun represented the sky, and since they thought that birds carried the sun, they regarded 'bird = sun = sky.' Additionally, our ancestors, the Dongyi people, affirmed their descent from the sky through the myth of birth from eggs. The pride of being descendants of the sky led to altruism that benefits humanity and became a driving force for cultural creation. Altruism towards the community inspired challenges, even in the face of seemingly impossible tasks, and the unrelenting determination and self-sacrifice were driven by a desire for the welfare of others. In other words, the pride of being descendants of the sky was expressed through altruism.