King Heondeok憲德王

King Heondeok ascended the throne. His name was Eonseung (彦昇), and he was the younger brother of King Soseong by the same mother. In the sixth year of King Wonseong he went as an envoy to the great Tang and received the rank of daeachan. In the seventh year he cut down a rebel subject and became japchan. In the tenth year he became sijung, in the eleventh year, as ichan, he became prime minister, and in the twelfth year byeongburyeong. In the first year of King Aejang he became gakgan, in the second year sasin of the Eoryongseong, and not long after sangdaedeung; and now at this time he ascended the throne. His queen was Lady Gwiseung, the daughter of Yeyeong the gakgan.

Kim Sungbin the ichan was made sangdaedeung. In autumn, the eighth month, there was a great pardon. Kim Changnam the ichan and others were sent into Tang to announce the death. Xianzong sent Cui Ting, the zhifang yuanwailang and acting yushi zhongcheng, and made Kim Sasin, who was there as a hostage, his second, to bear the tally and to condole and to sacrifice; and he invested the king as grand minister with honors equal to the three offices, acting grand commandant, bearing the tally as grand governor in charge of all military affairs of Gyerimju, and also bearing the tally as commissioner of the Ninghai army, Pillar of State and King of Silla. The king's wife of the Jeong clan was invested as consort. Gate halberds were bestowed on three men, Kim Sungbin the great prime minister and the rest.

In the second year, in spring, the first month, Yangjong the pajinchan was made sijung. Haseoju presented a red crow.

In the second month the king sacrificed in person at the Singung. Envoys were sent out to repair and mend the embankments throughout the country.

In autumn, the seventh month, a shooting star went into Jamiwon. Seowongyeong presented a white pheasant.

In winter, the tenth month, the king's son Kim Heonjang was sent into Tang to offer images of the Buddha in gold and silver and sutras and other things, and to say, "We pray for blessing on behalf of Shunzong." A shooting star went into the stars of Wangnyang.

In the third year, in spring, the first month, Yangjong the sijung was relieved of his post for sickness, and Wonheung the ichan was made sijung. In the second month Ungwon the ichan was made governor of Wansanju. In summer, the fourth month, the king went for the first time to Pyeonguijeon and heard the government there.

In the fourth year, in spring, Gyunjeong was made sijung, and since Chungyeong the ichan was seventy years old, an armrest and a staff were given to him. In autumn, the ninth month, Sungjeong the geupchan was sent as an envoy to the northern country.

In the fifth year, in spring, the first month, Heonchang the ichan was made governor of Mujinju. In the second month the king paid his respects at the shrine of the founder. There was a fire at the Hyeondeok gate.

In the sixth year, in spring, the third month, a feast was spread for the many officers at Sungnyejeon. When the joy was at its height the king played the geomungo, and Chungyeong the ichan rose and danced.

In summer, the fifth month, there was a great flood in the west of the country, and envoys were sent to comfort the people of the ju and gun through which the water had passed, and their tax and their labour service for one year were remitted.

In autumn, the eighth month, wind and fog lay over the capital so that it was like night. Heonchang, the governor of Mujinju, came in and became sijung.

In winter, the tenth month, the wife of Geommo the daesa bore three sons at one birth.

In the seventh year, in spring, the first month, an envoy was sent to the court of Tang, and Xianzong received him and spread a feast for him and gave him gifts according to his degree.

In summer, the fifth month, snow fell. In autumn, the eighth month, on the first day gihae, the sun was eclipsed. The ju and gun of the western border were in great hunger, and robbers rose up like swarming bees, so troops were sent out and put them down.

A great star appeared between Ikseong and Jinseong and pointed to the west. The length of its rays was about six cheok and their breadth about two chon.

In the eighth year, in spring, the first month, Heonchang the sijung went out to be governor of Cheongju, and Jangyeo became sijung.

The year was lean and the people were hungry, and those who went as far as Zhedong to seek food were a hundred and seventy in number. In Dangeun-gun of Hansanju a stone ten cheok long, eight cheok broad and three cheok five chon high moved of itself more than a hundred paces.

In summer, the sixth month, the two pagodas of Mangdeoksa struck against each other.

In the ninth year, in spring, the first month, Kim Chunggong the ichan was made sijung. In summer, the fifth month, no rain fell, and prayer was made everywhere to the hills and the rivers; and only when autumn came, in the seventh month, did it rain.

In winter, the tenth month, many people died of hunger, and the ju and gun were ordered to open the granaries and relieve them. The king's son Kim Jangnyeom was sent into Tang to present tribute.

In the tenth year, in summer, the sixth month, on the first day gyechuk, the sun was eclipsed.

In the eleventh year, in spring, the first month, since Jinwon the ichan was seventy years old, an armrest and a staff were given to him. Heonjeong the ichan was sick and could not walk, and though he was not yet seventy a staff of red sandalwood adorned with gold was given to him.

In the second month Kim Sungbin the sangdaedeung died, and Kim Sujong the ichan was made sangdaedeung. In the third month grass robbers rose up everywhere, and the governors and prefects of the various ju and gun were ordered to seize them.

In autumn, the seventh month, Li Shidao, the jiedushi of Yunzhou in Tang, rebelled. Xianzong wished to strike him down, and by edict he sent Zhao Gong, the jiedushi of Yangzhou, to call up the horse and foot of Silla. The king received the imperial command and ordered Kim Ungwon, general of the Suncheon army, to lead thirty thousand armoured soldiers to help him.

In the twelfth year there was drought in spring and summer, and hunger in winter. In the eleventh month an envoy was sent into Tang to present tribute, and Muzong called him into the Linde hall and received him, and spread a feast for him and gave him gifts according to his degree.

In the thirteenth year, in spring, the people were hungry and sold their children and grandchildren to keep themselves alive.

In summer, the fourth month, Kim Chunggong the sijung died, and Yeonggong the ichan was made sijung; and Heonchang, the governor of Cheongju, was changed and made governor of Ungcheonju.

In autumn, the seventh month, two stones, one at the Paegang and one at the Namcheon, struck against each other. In winter, on the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth month, there was a great thunder.

In the fourteenth year, in spring, the first month, the king's younger brother by the same mother, Sujong, was made bugun and brought into Woljigung. In the second month snow fell five cheok deep, and the trees withered.

In the third month Heonchang, the governor of Ungcheonju, rebelled because his father Juwon had not been made king. He called the country Jangan (長安), set up a reign title, and called it the first year of Gyeongun (慶雲). He threatened the governors of the four ju of Mujin, Wansan, Cheong and Sabeol, and the sasin of Gugwon, Seowon and Geumgwan, and the headmen of the various gun and counties, and made them his own followers.

Hyangyeong, the governor of Cheongju, slipped away and fled to Chuhwa-gun; and Hansan, Udu, Samnyang, Paegang and Bugwon and the rest knew of Heonchang's rebellious plan beforehand and raised troops and guarded themselves.

On the eighteenth day Choe Ung, the jangsa of Wansan, and Yeongchung, the son of Jeongnyeon the joachan, and others fled to the royal capital and reported it, and the king at once gave Choe Ung the rank of geupchan and the office of prefect of Sokham-gun, and gave Yeongchung the rank of geupchan. Then he chose eight commanders and set them to guard the eight quarters of the royal city, and after that he sent out his army.

Jangung the ilgilchan set out first, and Wigong the japchan and Jereung the pajinchan followed after him; and Gyunjeong the ichan, Ungwon the japchan and Ujing the daeachan took charge of the three armies and went out to strike. Chunggong the gakgan and Yuneung the japchan guarded the Munhwa barrier gate. The two nang, Myeonggi and Allak, each asked to go with the army, and Myeonggi went with his following to Hwangsan, and Allak went to Simijijin.

At this Heonchang sent out his generals to hold the important roads and wait. Jangung met the rebel troops at Dodonghyeon and struck and broke them. Wigong and Jereung joined their forces with the army of Jangung and attacked Samnyeonsanseong and took it, and pushed their troops on to Mount Songni and struck the rebel troops and destroyed them. Gyunjeong and the others fought the rebels at Hwangsan and destroyed them.

The several armies came together to Ungjin and fought a great battle with the rebels, and those cut down and taken were beyond counting. Heonchang barely got away with his life, went into the walled town and held it fast. The several armies surrounded and attacked it for ten days, and when the town was about to fall, Heonchang knew that he could not escape and took his own life.

Those who had followed him cut off his head from his body and hid them apart. When the town fell, his body was found in an old tomb and cut in pieces, and his kinsmen and his party, two hundred and thirty-nine men in all, were put to death; but the common people were let go. Afterwards merit was judged, and rank and reward were given according to degree. Nokjin the achan was given the rank of daeachan, but he declined it and did not take it. Since Gulja-gun of Samnyangju was near the rebels and yet was not stained by the revolt, its labour service was remitted for seven years.

Before this, in the pond south of the hall of the prefect of Cheongju, there was a strange bird. Its body was five cheok long, its colour was black, its head was as big as that of a child of about five years, and its beak was one cheok five chon long. Its eyes were like a man's, and its crop was about the size of a vessel holding five doe. After three days it died, and this was the sign of Heonchang's ruin.

Jeonggyo, the daughter of Chunggong the gakgan, was taken as consort of the crown prince. In a mountain valley by the Paegang a fallen tree put out shoots, and in a single night it grew thirteen cheok high and four cheok seven chon round.

In summer, on the thirteenth day of the fourth month, the light of the moon was like blood. In autumn, on the twelfth day of the seventh month, there was a black halo about the sun, pointing north and south. In winter, the twelfth month, Jupil was sent into Tang to present tribute.

In the fifteenth year, in spring, on the fifth day of the first month, insects fell from the sky at Seowongyeong. On the ninth day there were insects of three kinds, white and black and red, which made their way through the snow and stopped when they saw the sun. Wonsun and Pyeongwon, the two gakgan, were seventy years old and asked leave as aged men, and an armrest and a staff were given to them.

In the second month Suseong-gun and Dangeun-gun were joined together.

In summer, on the twelfth day of the fourth month, a shooting star rose from Cheonsiwon and trespassed on Jejwa, and passed the northeast wall of Cheonsiwon and Jingnyeo and Wangnyang, and when it came to Gakdo it parted into three, with a sound like the beating of a drum, and then it went out.

In autumn, the seventh month, snow fell.

In the seventeenth year, in spring, the first month, Beommun, the son of Heonchang, plotted a revolt together with Susin, a robber of Mount Godal, and more than a hundred others. They wished to set up their capital at Pyeongyang, and they attacked Bukhansanseong. Chongmyeong the governor led troops and seized them and put them to death.

In the third month a woman of Mamiji county in Mujinju bore a child with two heads, two bodies and four arms, and at the birth there was a great thunder in the sky.

In summer, the fifth month, the king's son Kim Heun was sent into Tang to present tribute, and he then made this request. "We beg that Choe Ijeong, Kim Sukjeong and Bak Gyeeop, the students who were before in the great school, be let go and sent back to their country; and that Kim Yunbu, Kim Ipji, Bak Yangji and the others, twelve men who have newly come to the court, be kept to serve in the guard, and further that they be placed in the Guozijian to learn their studies, and that the honglusi give them means and food." This was granted.

In autumn, Samnyangju presented a white horse. The wife of Hwangji the nama, of Daeyanggwan-gun in Uduju, bore two sons and two daughters at one birth, and a hundred seok of grain were given to her.

In the eighteenth year, in autumn, the seventh month, Baegyeong, the prefect of Ujam, was ordered to call up ten thousand men from the various ju and gun north of Hansan and to build a long wall of three hundred li on the Paegang.

In winter, the tenth month, the king died. His posthumous name was given as Heondeok (憲德), and he was buried north of Cheollimsa.