Hwan-guk

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The mythical state of Hwanguk(환국, 桓國) is the first state of Korea described in Hwandan-gogi and Samguk Yusa.

It was composed of twelve states, Biri-guk(비리국, 卑離國), Yang.un-guk(양운국, 養雲國), Gumak-han-guk(구막한국, 寇莫汗國), Gudacheon-guk(구다천국, 句茶川國), Il.un-guk(일운국, 一群國), Wooroo-guk(우루국, 虞婁國) or Pilla-guk(필라국, 畢那國), Gaekhyeon-han-guk(객현한국, 客賢汗國), Gumoaek-guk(구모액국, 句牟額國), Maeguyeo-guk(매구여국, 賣句餘國) or Jikguda-guk(직구다국, 稷臼多國), Sanab.a-guk(사납아국, 斯納阿國), Seonbi-guk(선비국, 鮮裨國) or Siwi-guk(시위국, 豕韋國) or Tonggosa-guk(통고사국, 通古斯國), and Sumil.yi-guk(수밀이국, 須密爾國).

According to Hwandan-gogi, there were seven emperors for 3301 years. Because of their long reigns (average would be 471.6 years/emperor), this nation is not officially considered to be historical. Because the nation was governed by Hwanin, it might be called Hwanguk or the Hwanin’s nation (guk is a Sino-Korean word that means "state" or "nation"). It was located at the area of the mountain Pana-ryoo, thus it was also called the Pana-ryoo’s nation. Hwanguk was located in the east of the sea of heaven. Hwanguk was an allied nation that consisted of twelve confederacies. It is believed that the size of the Hwanguk was 8,000 km from east to west, and 20,000 from north to south. The people of Hwanguk believed that they were the offspring of Heaven. Thus, they respected brightness, their god was the sun, their ancestor was Heaven, and they worshiped to heaven everyday because all of the people in Hwanguk do not doubt about it at all.

After its destruction, it was succeeded by Baedalguk.