King Sinmun神文王

King Sinmun ascended the throne. His name was Jeongmyeong (政明), and he was the eldest son of King Munmu the Great. His mother was Queen Jaui. The queen was of the house of Kim, the daughter of Heumdol of the rank of sopan. The king took her in when he was crown prince, but for a long time there was no son, and afterward she was caught in the revolt her father raised and was put out of the palace. In the fifth year of King Munmu he was set up as crown prince, and at this time he came to the seat. Gaozong of Tang sent an envoy and invested him as king of Silla, and let him take over the offices and titles of the former king.

In the first year, in the eighth month, Jinbok of the rank of seobulhan was made sangdaedeung. On the eighth day Kim Heumdol of the rank of sopan, Heungwon of the rank of pajinchan, Jingong of the rank of daeachan and others plotted a revolt and were put to death. On the thirteenth day the King of Bodeok sent his envoy Sudeokgae of the rank of sohyeong to give thanks for the putting down of the rebels.

On the sixteenth day an edict was handed down, saying:

"To reward those who have merit is the good rule of the sages of old, and to punish those who have guilt is the fine law of the former kings. With a small body and thin virtue I have taken over the guarding of this high foundation. I have stopped my eating and forgotten my meals, rising at dawn and lying down late, hoping with the ministers who are my arms and legs to make the country quiet. How could I have reckoned that within my mourning clothes a revolt would rise in the capital?

The chiefs of the bandits, Heumdol, Heungwon and Jingong, did not come to their places by talent, and their offices truly rose by favor. They could not be careful from beginning to end and keep their riches and honor whole. They were without benevolence and without righteousness, making favors and wielding terror, slighting the officers and cheating and trampling on high and low.

Of late they have let loose their desires that know no filling and given rein to their fierce and cruel hearts. They called in the wicked and the crooked and joined hands with the attendants near the throne, so that harm ran through within and without and evil men helped one another. They fixed a day and set a time, meaning to carry out revolt and treason.

Above, I have leaned on the help of heaven and earth, and below I have received the spirit power of the ancestral shrine. The evil of Heumdol and the rest was heaped up and their guilt was full, and what they plotted came to light. This is what men and spirits alike cast away, what the heaven that covers and the earth that bears cannot hold. Nothing goes further than this in breaking righteousness and wounding custom.

Therefore I gathered troops after them to sweep away these owls and jackals. Some fled and hid in the mountain valleys, and some came to the palace court and gave themselves up.

Yet the branches were sought out and the leaves dug up, and all alike were cut down, so that within three or four days the captured chiefs were wholly gone. The thing could not be helped, and it startled the officers and the people. How shall I forget, morning or evening, this heart of grief and shame?

Now the baleful crowd has been swept clean and there is no trouble far or near. Let the horses and men that were gathered be sent back quickly. Make this known in the four directions, so that all may know this intent."

On the twenty-eighth day Gungwan of the rank of ichan was put to death, and an edict was handed down, saying:

"The rule in serving those above is to make loyalty the root, and the righteousness of holding office is to make singleness of heart the first thing. Gungwan of the rank of ichan, the byeongburyeong, rose at last to a high place by the order of the ranks. Yet he could not pick up what was dropped and fill up what was lacking, nor offer a white and unstained fidelity to the court, nor give up his life and forget his body, nor show a red and true heart to the altars of the state.

Then he had dealings with the bandit ministers Heumdol and the rest, and though he knew of their treason he never spoke to report it. He had no heart to be anxious for the state, and the will to follow the public good was cut off in him. How should he sit heavy in the seat of a chief minister and muddy the laws of the country at his pleasure? He shall be cast out with the rest, to warn those who come after. Let Gungwan and one son, his heir, be made to end their own lives. Make it known far and near, so that all may know it together."

In winter, the tenth month, the Siwigam was done away with, and six generals were set up.

In the second year, in spring, the first month, the king sacrificed in person at the Singung, and a great amnesty was granted.

In summer, the fourth month, two heads of the Wihwabu were set up, to take charge of the choosing of officers.

In the fifth month Taebaek trespassed on the moon.

In the sixth month the Gukhak, the school of the state, was founded, and one gyeong was set over it. One gam of the Gongjangbu and one gam of the Chaejeon were also set up.

In the third year, in spring, the second month, Sunji was made jungsi. The younger daughter of Kim Heumun of the rank of ilgilchan was taken in as consort.

First Munyeong of the rank of ichan and Samgwang of the rank of pajinchan were sent to fix the day, and Jisang of the rank of daeachan carried the gifts of betrothal. The silks were fifteen cartloads. The rice, wine, oil, honey, sauce, bean paste, dried meat and pickled fish were a hundred and thirty-five cartloads, and the grain was a hundred and fifty cartloads.

In summer, the fourth month, snow lay one cheok deep on level ground.

On the seventh day of the fifth month Munyeong of the rank of ichan and Gaewon were sent to her house, and she was invested as consort. At the hour of myo on that day Daesang and Sonmun of the rank of pajinchan and Jwaya and Gilsuk of the rank of achan were sent, each with his wife and daughter, and with thirty women from each of the two bu, Yangbu and Saryangbu, to bring her. The consort rode in a carriage, and the officers and the daughters and the women who attended her to right and left were very many. She came to the north gate of the royal palace, got down from the carriage and went inside.

In winter, the tenth month, Anseung the King of Bodeok was called in and made sopan, and the surname Kim was given him. He was kept in the capital and given a fine house and good fields. A comet appeared at Wuche.

In the fourth year, in winter, the tenth month, from dusk until dawn shooting stars crossed this way and that.

In the eleventh month Daemun, a general and a clan nephew of Anseung, plotted a revolt at Geummaju. The matter came out and he was put to death. The rest, seeing Daemun cut down and killed, killed the officers and held the town in revolt. The king commanded his generals and soldiers to strike them, and in the fighting Pipsil the dangju was killed. They took the fortress and moved its people to the provinces and districts in the south of the country, and made that land Geumma-gun.

In the fifth year, in spring, Wansanju was set up again, and Yongwon was made chonggwan. Georyeolju was divided off and Cheongju was set up, and for the first time the nine provinces were complete. Bokse of the rank of daeachan was made chonggwan.

In the third month the Seowon sogyeong was set up, and Wontae of the rank of achan was made sasin. The Namwon sogyeong was set up, and people from the several provinces and districts were moved and settled there in parts. Bongseongsa was finished.

In summer, the fourth month, Mangdeoksa was finished.

In the sixth year, in spring, the first month, Daejang of the rank of ichan was made jungsi. Two gyeong of the Yejakbu were set up.

In the second month the four counties of Seoksan, Masan, Gosan and Sapyeong were set up. Sabiju was made a district and Ungcheon-gun was made a province. Ballaju was made a district and Mujin-gun was made a province.

An envoy was sent into Tang to ask for the Liji and for writings. Zetian ordered the office in charge to copy out the Jixiong yaoli, and also to pick out from the Wenguan cilin those words that touched on rule and warning and bind them into fifty volumes, and these were bestowed on him.

In the seventh year, in spring, the second month, the eldest son was born. On that day the sky was clouded and dark, and there was great thunder and lightning.

In the third month Ilseonju was done away with and Sabeolju was set up again, and Gwanjang of the rank of pajinchan was made chonggwan.

In summer, the fourth month, the head of the Eumseongseo was changed in name to gyeong. A great minister was sent to the ancestral shrine to make sacrifice, and he spoke there, saying:

"The king So-and-so bows his head and bows twice, and speaks with reverence to the spirits of King Taejo the Great, King Jinji the Great, King Munheung the Great, King Taejong the Great and King Munmu the Great. So-and-so, with an empty and thin body, has taken over the guarding of this high foundation, and waking and sleeping has been anxious and diligent, with no leisure to rest at ease.

Leaning on the ancestral shrine, and with heaven and earth sending down blessing and keeping guard, the four borders are quiet and at peace, the people are harmonious, other lands come as guests, bearing treasure by ship and taking up their duties, punishments are clear and lawsuits have ceased, and so it has come to this day.

Of late the way has been lost in the ruling of the land, and righteousness has gone against the seeing of heaven. A strange star has taken shape, and the fire constellation has sunk its light. There is trembling and trembling, as though one were falling into a deep valley.

With reverence an envoy is sent, So-and-so of such an office, to set out these poor gifts and to serve with reverence the spirits that are as though present. It is humbly hoped that they will look clearly on this small sincerity and take pity on this slight and lowly one, that the airs of the four seasons may follow in their turn and the signs of the five affairs may not go astray, that the grain may be plentiful and pestilence pass away, that clothing and food may be enough and courtesy and right be complete, that within and without may be clear and quiet and thieves come to nothing, that plenty may be handed down to those who come after and many blessings be received forever. This is spoken with reverence."

In the fifth month an edict granted fields to the civil and military officers, each according to rank. In autumn the walls of the two provinces Sabeol and Samnyang were built.

In the eighth year, in spring, the first month, Daejang the jungsi died, and Wonsa of the rank of ichan was made jungsi. In the second month one gyeong was added to the Seonbu.

In the ninth year, in spring, the first month, an edict did away with the nogeup, the stipend villages of the officers within and without, and made it a standing rule to grant grain year by year, each according to rank.

In autumn, on the twenty-sixth day of the intercalary ninth month, the king went to Jangsanseong. The wall of the Seowon capital was built. The king wished to move the capital to Dalgubeol, but it did not come about.

In the tenth year, in spring, the second month, Wonsa the jungsi was released from office for sickness, and Seonwon of the rank of achan was made jungsi. In winter, the tenth month, Jeonyasan-gun was set up.

In the eleventh year, in spring, on the first day of the third month, the king's son Ihong was invested as crown prince. On the thirteenth day a great amnesty was granted. Sahwaju presented a white sparrow. The wall of Namwon was built.

In the twelfth year, in spring, the bamboo withered. Zhongzong of Tang sent an envoy, who gave the imperial command by word of mouth.

"Our Emperor Taizong Wen had divine merit and holy virtue beyond a thousand ages, and so on the day he rose as an immortal his temple name was made Taizong. Kim Chunchu, the former king of your country, bears the same name, and this oversteps all bounds. It must be changed at once."

The king talked it over with his many ministers and answered:

"The posthumous name of Chunchu, the former king of this small country, has by chance come to conflict with the temple name of the holy ancestor. If the imperial command says to change it, how should your servant dare not follow that command? Yet consider that the former king Chunchu had much worthy virtue, and more, that in his lifetime he got a good minister, Kim Yusin, and with one heart they governed and made the Samhan one. The merit and the work he did cannot be called small. When he left the world, the ministers and people of the whole country could not bear their grief and longing, and in the name they raised in his honor they did not notice that it conflicted with the holy ancestor. Now, hearing the command that has been taught to us, we cannot bear our fear. It is humbly hoped that when the envoy returns to the palace court and makes his report, he will let this be heard above just as it is."

Afterward no other command came.

In autumn, the seventh month, the king died. His posthumous name was given as Sinmun (神文), and he was buried east of Nangsan.