{{Short description|Sky god of Cheondoism and Jeungsanism}} [[File:Korea-Samseonggung 11-07406.JPG|thumb|Hwanin represented at the ''Samseonggung''.]] '''Haneunim''' or '''Hanunim''' ({{Korean|hangul=하느님|lit=Lord of Heaven; Heavenly Lord}}){{efn|also spelled '''Hanallim''' (하ㄴㆍㄹ님/하날님), '''Hanullim''' (한울님), birth name '''Hwanin''' (환인; 桓仁 or 桓因), also called '''Sangje''' (상제; 上帝, "Highest Deity"), '''Sangjenim''' (상제님; 上帝任/mixed script: 上帝님, "Highest Divine Lord"), or '''Cheonju''' (천주; 天主, "Heavenly Lord"/"Lord of Heaven"), or known simply as '''''Haneul''''' (하늘 "Heaven"), '''''Cheon''''' (천; 天, "Heaven", in Sino-Korean), '''''Cheonje''''' (천제; 天帝, "Heavenly Emperor"/"Emperor of Heaven", in Sino-Korean), or '''''Cheon-sin / Cheon-shin''''' (천신; 天神, "God of Heaven")}} is the sky god in Korean mythology.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Grayson |first1=James H. |title=Tan'gun and Chumong: The Politics of Korean Foundation Myths |journal=Folklore |date=2015 |volume=126 |issue=3 |pages=253–265 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/24774336 |access-date=30 December 2024 |issn=0015-587X}}</ref>{{sfnb|Hong|2009|p=39}} In the more Buddhist-aligned parts of these religions, he is identified with Indra. In the more Taoist-aligned parts of these religions, he is identified with Okhwang Sangje ({{Korean|hangul=옥황상제|hanja=玉皇上帝|labels=no|lit=Jade Emperor}}). Under that name, he is a deity in the Poncheongyo religion.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Okhwangsangje |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Okhwangsangje |access-date=2023-04-23 |publisher=Encyclopedia Britannica |language=en}}</ref>
==Dangun myth== {{Further|Dangun}} Dangun is traditionally considered to be the grandson of ''Hwanin'', the "Heavenly King", and founder of the Korean nation.{{sfnb|Lee|1981|p=13}} Myths similar to that of Dangun are found in Ainu{{sfnb|Lee|1981|p=20}} and Siberian cultures.{{sfnb|Lee|1981|p=21}}
The myth starts with prince Hwanung ("Heavenly Prince"), son of Hwanin. The prince asked his father to grant him governance over Korea.{{sfnb|Lee|1981|p=14}} Hwanin accepted, and Hwanung was sent to Earth bearing three Heavenly Seals and accompanied by three thousand followers.{{sfnb|Lee|1981|p=14}} The prince arrived under the ''sindansu'' ({{Korean|hangul=신단수|hanja=神檀樹|labels=no|lit=Holy Tree of Sandalwood}}){{sfnb|Lee|2010s|pp=10–13}} on the holy mountain, where he founded his holy city.{{sfnb|Lee|1981|p=14}}
At the time of his reign, Ungnyeo{{sfnb|Lee|2010s|pp=10–13}}—bear—and a tiger were living in a cave near the holy city, praying earnestly that their wish to become part of humankind might be fulfilled.{{sfnb|Lee|1981|p=14}} Ungnyeo patiently endured weariness and hunger, and after twenty-one days she was transformed into a woman, while the tiger ran away for it could not tolerate the effort.{{sfnb|Lee|1981|p=14}} The woman Ungnyeo was overjoyed, and visiting the sandalwood city she prayed that she might become the mother of a child.{{sfnb|Lee|1981|p=14}}
Ungnyeo's wish was fulfilled, so that she became the queen and gave birth to a prince who was given the royal name of Dangun: the "Sandalwood King".{{sfnb|Lee|1981|p=14}} Dangun reigned as the first human king of Korea, giving to his kingdom the name of Joseon, "Land of the Morning Calm", in 2333 BC.{{sfnb|Lee|1981|p=14}}
According to some scholars, the name ''Dangun'' is related to the Turko-Mongol Tengri ("Heaven"),{{sfnb|Lee|1981|pp=17–18}} while the bear is a symbol of the Big Dipper (i.e. Ursa Major), itself a symbol of the supreme God in many Eurasian cultures. Later in the myth, Dangun becomes the Sansin, the "Mountain God" (metaphorically of civilising growth, prosperity).{{sfnb|Lee|1981|pp=16–18}}
==See also== * Chinese theology ** Tao ** Three Pure Ones ** Tian—Shangdi
'''Counterparts of Haneullim in other Asian cultures''' * Amenominakanushi, the Japanese counterpart * Indra/Trimurti, the Hindu counterpart * Jade Emperor, the Chinese counterpart * Ông Trời, the Vietnamese counterpart * Śakra/Adi Buddha, the Buddhist counterpart * Tengri, the Turko-Mongolian counterpart * Thagyamin, the Burmese Buddhist representation of Śakra, a counterpart of the Jade Emperor
==Notes== {{Notelist}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==Sources== * {{cite journal|last=Didier|first=John C.|title=In and Outside the Square: The Sky and the Power of Belief in Ancient China and the World, c. 4500 BC – AD 200|journal=Sino-Platonic Papers|issue=192|publisher=Victor H. Mair|date=2009}} ''[http://sino-platonic.org/complete/spp192_vol1.pdf Volume I: The Ancient Eurasian World and the Celestial Pivot]'', ''[http://sino-platonic.org/complete/spp192_vol2.pdf Volume II: Representations and Identities of High Powers in Neolithic and Bronze China]'', ''[http://sino-platonic.org/complete/spp192_vol3.pdf Volume III: Terrestrial and Celestial Transformations in Zhou and Early-Imperial China]''. * {{cite news|last=Lee|first=Chi-ran|year=2010s|title=The Emergence of National Religions in Korea|url=http://manak.org.in/wp-content/uploads/pdf-manak/The%20Emergence%20of%20National%20Religions%20in%20Korea.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413124433/http://manak.org.in/wp-content/uploads/pdf-manak/The%20Emergence%20of%20National%20Religions%20in%20Korea.pdf|archive-date=13 April 2014}} * {{cite book|last=Lee|first=Jung Young|title=Korean Shamanistic Rituals|publisher=Mouton De Gruyter|year=1981|isbn=9027933782}} * {{cite book|last=Hong|first=Sung-wook|title=Naming God in Korea|publisher=Wipf & Stock|year=2009|isbn=978-1606086261}}
{{Names of God}}
Category:Korean gods Category:Religion in Korea Category:Tan'gun Category:Indra Category:Cheondoism Category:Names of God Category:Sky and weather gods