Lady Yuhwa

Habaengnyeo (Korean: 하백녀; Hanja: 河伯女) or Habaengnyeorang (Korean: 하백녀랑; Hanja: 河伯女郞) was the daughter of Habaek (Korean: 하백; Hanja: 河伯), and the mother of Jumong, the founder of the kingdom of Goguryeo.[1] She was also given the name Yuhwa (Korean: 유화; Hanja: 柳花) in Samguk Sagi and Samguk Yusa.[2]

Lady Yuhwa
DiedB.C. 24
Buyeo
Burial
Buyeo
IssueDongmyeong of Goguryeo (Jumong)
FatherHabaek
Lady Yuhwa
Hangul
하백녀
Hanja
河伯女
Revised RomanizationHabaengnyeo
McCune–ReischauerHabaengnyŏ
Birth name
Hangul
하유화
Hanja
河柳花
Revised RomanizationHa Yuhwa
McCune–ReischauerHa Ryuhwa

Mythological overview

Habaek, the god of the Amnok River, had three beautiful daughters: Yuhwa, Hwonhwa (Korean: 훤화; Hanja: 萱花), and Wihwa (Korean: 위화; Hanja: 葦花). The sisters were playing on the riverside, but ran away when they saw Hae Mosu (Korean: 해모수; Hanja: 解慕漱) approaching them. To lure the ladies, Hae Mosu built an exquisitely decorated palace and held a banquet. After the sisters came into the palace and became drunk, Hae Mosu attempted to block the exit, and was able to capture Yuhwa.[3]

Outraged by kidnapping of Yuhwa, Habek sent his messenger to scold Hae Mosu. Ashamed by his own actions, Hae Mosu tried to let Yuhwa go, but Yuhwa refused to leave because she had fallen in love with him. To solve the problem, Hae Mosu summoned a chariot drawn by five dragons and went to Habaek's palace. When they arrived, Habaek challenged Hae Mosu to a duel of metamorphosis.[3]

Habaek transformed into a carp, a pheasant, and a deer, only to be caught by Hae Mosu when he transformed into an otter, a hawk, and a wolf respectively. Witnessing the talent of Hae Mosu, Habaek held a banquet to celebrate the marriage. Once the couple became drunk, Habaek put them into a leather bag, and loaded it into the dragon chariot to ascend the couple to Heaven. However, Hae Mosu woke up in the middle of the journey, and ran away to Heaven alone by cutting the leather bag with Yuhwa's golden hairpin.[3]

When Yuhwa came back alone, Habaek saw her as a disgrace to the family. Habaek had her lips stretched out, and exiled her to Wubalsu (or Wubal Pond) (Korean: 우발수; Hanja: 優渤水), located at the south of Taebaeksan (or Taebaek Mountain) (Korean: 태백산; Hanja: 太白山) along with two servants.[3]

One day a fisherman reported to Geumwa of Buyeo that a strange creature was strolling underwater. The king ordered the capture of the creature, and Yuhwa was pulled out from the water. Because her lips were stretched, they had to be cut three times for her to speak. The king realized that she was the concubine of Son of the Heaven, thus kept her in a detached palace where the sunlight followed Yuhwa and made her pregnant.[3]

Family

Sources

See also

References
  1. "Gwanggaeto Stele". db.history.go.kr. Archived from the original on 2022-06-18. Retrieved 2021-09-16.
  2. "Samguk Sagi Book 13 History of Goguryeo Part 1 Section 1". db.history.go.kr. Retrieved 2021-09-08.
  3. "Dongguk Yisanggukjip". db.itkc.or.kr. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
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