This article mainly aims to investigate the significant relationship between myths of King Wu in China and Chumong in Korea through a comparison of three generations (so-called Gun, Yu, and Qi) appearing in a Chinese flood myth and another three generations (Hae Mosu, Hae Puru, and Kum Wa, or Hae Mosu, Chumong, and Yuri) in the Myths of Koguryo recorded in the Samguk Yusa, and further deals with the issue of the origin of both myths. Outwardly neither myth seems to have anything to do with the other, but by analyzing each mythic element in detail I can prove that there are many facts which illustrate the deep relationship between both myths as follows.
First, both myths constitute three generations, e.g., Gun (grandfather) + Yu (father) + Qi (son), and Hae Mosu (grandfather) + Hae Puru (father) + Kum Wa (son), or Hae Mosu (grandfather) + Chumong (father) + Yuri (son). Second, both myths correspond, in that Qi and Kum Wa, both sons of the three generations, have something to do with a stone at their birth. Furthermore, both are stepsons of Yu and Hae Puru respectively, That is to say, there is no blood relationship among them. Third, just as Gun was helped by turtles, so Chumong was assisted by a turtle when he passed over a river, chased by enemies. Fourth, both myths are related to the horse. Fifth, both myths are connected with the bear. After death, Gun was transformed into a bear, and Hae Mosu had a sexual relationship with Yu Hwa near Ung Sin Mountain (Mountain of the bear god). Both countries were located near Siberia where people worshipped the bear. From this standpoint, we can presume that both myths came from northeastern Siberia. Sixth, the character gun is the same as the character kon in Korean pronunciation. It is the name of the pond where Hae Puru got Kum Wa. Both mean "big fish." Seventh, the story of Gun and Yu contains the motif of controlling the flood and water; Kum Wa means golden frog and the pond (water) named Kon which appears in Eastern Puyo myth somehow symbolizes water. Those elements at least remind me of the story of Gun's entering a pond named yu (feather). Eighth, Gun and Yu are a combination of a god of the sun and a god of the water. Hae Mosu and Yu Hwa, a daughter of Ha Paek (Lord of river), from the same combination as Gun and Yu. Ninth, in Eastern Puyo myth, a horse stopped to cry while passing the pond called kon, which, I believe, indirectly indicates the tragedy of Gun's being killed in Chinese myth. Tenth, Qi did not see his father at his birth; Kum Wa and Chumong also did not see their father in childhood. Lastly, Hae Mosu, who is already married, has a love affair with Yu Hwa, a daughter of Ha Paek (Lord of river). In Chinese myth, Hou Yi, who is said to be one of the ancestors of the Dong-yi tribe, also has sexual intercourse with the wife of He Bo (Lord of river), even though he already had a wife. This similarity indicates that the myth of Hae Mosu and Yu Hwa, a daughter of Ha Paek, is derived from northeastern myth. In addition, He Bo (Lord of river) in Chinese myth refers to Feng Yi or Bing Yi, both belonging to the Dong-yi tribe.
Thus both myths have many common features. From the above discussion we can assume that both are derived from the northeastern area, and we can imagine that the original character of kon in Korean myth was the word gun appearing in Chinese myth.
As shown in the above examples, the method of comparative approach yields precious findings in the study of Chinese and Korean mythology.