Creation Myth Aspects in the Proclamation of Daejonggyo

This study focuses on the creation myth in the Dangun-gyo Odae Jongji Pomyeongseo 檀君敎五大宗旨佈明書(Proclamation of the Five Great Doctrines of Dangun-gyo). The proclamation comprises three parts. First, it presents the origin of Dangun-gyo through a creation myth. Second, it traces the historical lineage of Dangun’s descendants. Finally, it describes the Five Great Doctrines followers of Dangun-gyo are expected to uphold. This creation myth addresses the origins of the universe, humanity, and culture. Within this narrative, Dangun called Daehwangjoseongshin—the Great Ancestral Sacred Deity who completes the humanity’s creation and establishes human civilization—is portrayed as a mediator between heaven and earth, as well as between the divine and human realms. This extends to the reconciliation between remembering and upholding the teachings of Daehwangjoseongshin and forgetting them, as well as between the current national crisis and the ideal of a strong and prosperous nation. In this context, the proclamation provides rationale for overcoming the contradiction between ideals and reality, explaining the necessity of a creation myth centered on Daehwangjoseongshin. Furthermore, followers could internalize this religious truth through ritual practices regularly performed in Daejonggyo. The proclamation is also significant for marking the starting point in the transmission of a version of the Dangun myth presented as a creation myth.