[note 1] He was commonly recorded as Chumong (주몽; 朱蒙) by various Chinese sources, including history books written by Northern Qi and Tang.
At some point in time prior to the compilation of the Samguk sagi (1145), he was given the posthumous name of Dongmyeong (동명성왕; 東明聖王), literally translating to the Brilliant Saintly King of the East.
In the earliest Goguryeo sources, such as the Gwanggaeto Stele and Tomb Epitaph of Moduru, refer to Dongmyeong by his personal name, Ch'umo (추모; 鄒牟).
[note 5] In the Samguk sagi, he was recorded as Chumong with the surname Ko, and was also known as Chunghae (중해; 衆解) or Sanghae (상해; 象解).
The origin myth of Buyeo's founding king was appropriated by Goguryeo monarchy in the 4th century AD to boost their own pedigree.
When he arrived at Gonyeon (or Gon Pond; 곤연; 鯤淵), he noticed his horse was shedding tears in front of a large rock.
"Heaven will send its descendent and create a new kingdom above Buyeo, thus the king should resettle at Gaseopwon (가섭원; 迦葉原),"[note 7] a fertile land next to the ocean.
When he went to Wubalsu (or Wubal Pond; 우발수; 優渤水), which is located at the south of the mountain Taebaeksan,[note 8] he met a woman named Lady Yuhwa,[4] who was a daughter of Habaek.
She explained that Hae Mosu lured her to a place near the Yalu River, next to Ungsimsan (or Ungsim Mountain; 웅심산; 熊心山; lit.
The young boy learned how to craft a bow and arrows, and he became a master of archery by the age of 7, earning the nickname Chumong, a word used by the people of Buyeo to describe excellent archers.
[4] Dongmyeong and his three friends — Oi, Mari (마리; 摩離), and Hyeopbo (협보; 陜父) — escaped from Eastern Buyeo, followed by cavalry sent out by Daeso.
As the cavalry were approaching, Dongmyeong asked the river for help, declaring himself a son of the Heavenly God (천제; 天帝) and maternal grandchild of Habaek.
[4][note 10] After escaping death, Dongmyeong met three people, each wearing different cloths at Modungok (or Modun Valley; 모둔곡; 毛屯谷).
[8] In October of 32 BC, Dongmyeong sent Oi and Bu to Bunno (부분노; 扶芬奴), and conquered Haenginguk (or State of Haengin; 행인국; 荇人國), which is located southeast of Taebaek Mountain.
In the 15th century Joseon dynasty text, Tongguk yŏji sŭngnam, the author would change Dongmyeong's mount from a dragon to an "unicorn horse".
In the Samguk sagi, the Confucian Kim Pusik understood the legend of Dongmyeong's ascension to heaven as metaphorical not literal.
Both Biryu (비류; 沸流) and Onjo (온조; 溫祚) were sons of Wu Tae (우태; 優台), the illegitimate grandson of Hae Buru, and Soseono (소서노; 召西奴), the daughter of Holbon native Yeon Tabal (연타발; 延陀勃).
However, everything eventually turned against Soseono after Yuri, the only biological son of Dongmyeong from Lady Ye, came to Goguryeo and was appointed as the crowned prince.
Also, fearing a purge by Yuri after Dongmyeong's death, Biryu led his followers along with Onjo and Soseono, and left Goguryeo to create his own kingdom.
[note 14] Based on this account, Dongmyeong was old enough to command his military force by 82 BC, which directly challenges the records from Samguk sagi.
Goguryeo existed for 705 years and was ruled by 28 consecutive monarchs of the Go Dynasty until the collapse of the central government by the Silla-Tang alliance in 668.
Relaunching the armed and militarily capable guerrilla fighters' force his biological father Hae Mo-su once headed, Jumong goes on a life mission to rescue and band together the refugees of the ancient Joseon peoples, leading the fight against the oppression of Imperial China, finally establishing himself as the king of the new nation Goguryeo.